What is the significance of statements recorded by police during investigation?

• A. They document information and leads, but are generally not admissible as primary evidence in court without corroboration; used for cross-examination.
• B. They are always admissible as the main evidence in trials.
• C. They are not allowed and cannot be used at all.
• D. They alone determine guilt if consistent.

Answer: (A)

Statements recorded by police during an investigation mainly serve to document information and leads found during the inquiry. However, they are not typically admissible as primary evidence of the facts stated, because they come from an out-of-court source and can be unreliable or biased. Their real value lies in guiding further investigation and in providing material for cross-examination to test credibility. In court, a witness who testifies can be questioned about what they told the police, and any contradictions between the police record and the witness’s testimony can affect the witness’s reliability. These statements may be admitted as evidence only if there is independent corroboration or if the maker testifies and is subject to cross-examination; without that, they cannot prove guilt on their own.