The Supreme Court of India regarding the right of accused to get copy of statement under Sec. 164 CRPC, in the case of Miss ‘A’ vs State of Uttar Pradesh & Anr. Criminal Appeal No. 659 Of 2020 (Arising out of SLP (Crl.) No. 10401 of 2019).
Accused Right To Get Copy Of Statement under Sec. 164 CRPC
- The filing of the charge-sheet by itself, does not entitle an accused to copies of any of the relevant documents including statement under Section 164 of the Code, unless the stages indicated above are undertaken
- Thus, merely because the charge-sheet was filed by the time the High Court had passed the order in the present matter, did not entitle Respondent to a copy of the statement under Section 164 of the Code.
- The right to receive a copy of such statement will arise only after cognizance is taken and at the stage contemplated by Sections 207 and 208 of the Code and not before.
- In our view, especially in a matter where the offences alleged against accused are of sexual exploitation, utmost confidentiality is required to be maintained.