In Brief
In this criminal appeal, the Supreme Court clarified the scope of Section 319 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which permits courts to summon additional accused persons during trial. The Court held that a magistrate can summon an additional accused based solely on examination-in-chief testimony, even before cross-examination is completed. Specific allegations made in a witness's court statement are sufficient evidence; the absence of such allegations from the original FIR does not bar summoning. The Court rejected the High Court's reasoning that material improvements between the FIR and witness statement precluded summoning, setting aside the High Court's order and allowing the appeal.
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