Whether family court can admit CD in evidence even in absence of certificate as per S 65B of Evidence Act?

The core question to be addressed in the present case is

whether the CD produced before the Family Court could be admitted

in evidence in the absence of certification under Section 65-B(4) of

the Indian Evidence Act.

9. The argument of the learned counsel for the petitioner is

that the Family Court failed to notice and to give effect to Section 14

of the Family Courts Act (for short 'the Act') which empowers the

Family Courts to dispense with the application of the rigid rules of the

relevancy and admissibility of evidence incorporated in the Indian

Evidence Act 1872 to the proceedings before them and further erred

in refusing to receive the uncertified CD in evidence. The argument,

according to us, is legally sound and merits acceptance.

10. Section 14 of the Act reads as follows:

“Application of Indian Evidence Act, 1872:- A Family court

may receive as evidence any report, statement, documents,

information or matter that may, in its opinion, assist it to deal

effectually with a dispute, whether or not the same would be

otherwise relevant or admissible under the Indian Evidence

Act, 1872 (1 of 1872).”

The words employed in the Section make it abundantly clear that, any

matter, information etc., placed before a Family Court may be

admitted in evidence uninhibited by the rules of relevancy and

admissibility prescribed by the Evidence Act, provided the Family

Court is of the opinion that the matter before it is essential for the

effective resolution of the dispute in the proceeding. Understood in

the light of the object and scheme of the Act, Section 14 of the Act

seems to convey the legislative intention that Family Court has

absolute freedom to depart from adopting the sophisticated and strict

rules of relevancy and admissibility applicable to the regular civil

courts in the country. The freedom of partial departure from the

Evidence Act helps the Family Courts prevent valuable information

and materials necessary for effective adjudication of disputes from

being shut out in the enquiries and trial. In effect, the rules of

relevancy and admissibility in the Evidence Act ought to be read

subject only to Section 14 of the Act. In the event of any

inconsistency emerging between the provisions of these two Acts,

Family Courts Act 1984 alone will prevail, thanks to Section 20 of the family courts Act.

In view of the overriding effect of the Section 14 of the Act on

the rules of admissibility in the Evidence Act, we hold that the CD

produced before the Family Court, Thalassery is admissible in

evidence, despite the fact that it was not certified as mandated by

Section 65-B(4) of the Act.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM

PRESENT

OP (FC).No. 513 of 2018

PRAMOD E.K. Vs LOUNA V.C.

Coram:

C.K.ABDUL REHIM

&

T.V.ANILKUMAR, JJ.

Dated:14th day of January 2019

Citation: 2019 SCC OnLine Ker 165, AIR 2019 Ker 85 

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Whether application to play compact disc is tenable during defence evidence in criminal case?

 We are not inclined to go into the truthfulness of the
conversation sought to be proved by the defence but, in the
facts and circumstances of the case, as discussed above, we
are of the view that the courts below have erred in law in not
allowing the application of the defence to get played the
compact disc relating to conversation between father of the
victim and son and wife of the appellant regarding alleged
property dispute. In our opinion, the courts below have erred
in law in rejecting the application to play the compact disc in
question to enable the public prosecutor to admit or deny, and
to get it sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory, by the
defence. The appellant is in jail and there appears to be no
intention on his part to unnecessarily linger the trial,
particularly when the prosecution witnesses have been
examined.
Reportable
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 1525 OF 2015
(Arising out of S.L.P. (Crl.) No. 9151 of 2015)

Shamsher Singh Verma Vs State of Haryana 

Dated;November 24, 2015.

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Whether compact disc is a document as per evidence Act?

 In view of the definition of ‘document’ in Evidence Act,
and the law laid down by this Court, as discussed above, we
hold that the compact disc is also a document. It is not
necessary for the court to obtain admission or denial on a
document under sub-section (1) to Section 294 CrPC
personally from the accused or complainant or the witness.
The endorsement of admission or denial made by the counsel
for defence, on the document filed by the prosecution or on the
application/report with which same is filed, is sufficient
compliance of Section 294 CrPC. Similarly on a document
filed by the defence, endorsement of admission or denial by
the public prosecutor is sufficient and defence will have to
prove the document if not admitted by the prosecution. In
case it is admitted, it need not be formally proved, and can be
read in evidence. In a complaint case such an endorsement
can be made by the counsel for the complainant in respect of
document filed by the defence.
Reportable
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 1525 OF 2015
(Arising out of S.L.P. (Crl.) No. 9151 of 2015)
Shamsher Singh Verma 
V
State of Haryana 
Dated;November 24, 2015.
Citation;2015ALLMR(Cri)4923, 2016CriLJ364,2015(4)Crimes353(SC),(2016) 15 SCC 485.

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