CrPC Section 293: Reports of certain Government scientific experts

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 · Chapter 23: Evidence in enquiries and Trails

Repealed on 1 July 2024 and replaced by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS).

293. Reports of certain Government scientific experts.- (1) Any document purporting to be a report under the hand of a Government scientific expert to whom this section applies, upon any matter or thing duly submitted to him for examination or analysis and report in the course of any proceeding under this Code, may be used as evidence in any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Code.


(2) The Court may, if it thinks fit, summon and examine any such expert as to the subject-matter of his report.

(3) Where any such expert is summoned by a Court and he is unable to attend personally, he may unless the Court has expressly directed him to appear personally, depute any responsible officer working with him to attend the Court, if such officer is conversant with the facts of the case and can satisfactorily depose in Court on his behalf.

(4) This section applies to the following Government scientific experts, namely:-

(a) any Chemical Examiner or Assistant Chemical Examiner to Government;

(b) the Chief Inspector of Explosives;

(c) the Director of the Finger Print Bureau;

(d) the Director, Haffkeine Institute, Bombay;

(e) the Director Deputy Director or Assistant Director of a Central Forensic Science Laboratory or a State forensic Science Laboratory;

(f) the Serologist to the Government.

*[(g) any other Government scientific Expert specified by notification by the Central Government for this purpose.]

*[Inserted vide The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2005]

Study: explanations and related material

Now BNSS 329 (corresponding section). CrPC → BNSS converterSource: BPR&D BNSS–CrPC corresponding section table (UP Police, 2024-07-03), p17

Official reference: Ministry of Home Affairs: historical CrPC reference — source link checked: 2 October 2026.Recorded edition / snapshot date: 2024-06-30.Mobile-app reference import; the recorded snapshot date is not a fresh legal-currency guarantee. The linked government text is an independent authoritative reference, not certification that this website reproduces the same edition. The source link was checked, not every provision or subsequent amendment. Check commencement notifications, savings and jurisdiction-specific variations separately. Section 135 was restored and individually checked against the linked government PDF (pages 75–76) on 2026-10-02; this is not a verification of the whole collection. Schedules and forms are not consolidated here. Historical code retained for reference; read the repeal/savings provisions in the successor code.

This text is for reference, not legal advice. Consult the official source for the authoritative text.

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