Bombay High Court Flags 'Copy-Paste' Witness Statements, Urges State Action

The Bombay High Court has again flagged concerns over investigating officers' copy-pasting witness statements under Section 161 CrPC.

A bench, while hearing a criminal application, summoned the investigating officer, who admitted to typographical errors and apologized.

The Court stressed that each witness’s statement must reflect their actual word and further warned that the copy-paste approach undermines the integrity of investigations and could benefit the accused.

The bench urged the State Government to address this issue to ensure quality investigations. 

(Rahim Sadroddin Shaikh & ors. v. The State of Maharashtra & anrs.)