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Indian Evidence Act, 1872 · Chapter X: Of the Examination of Witnesses

Section 157: Former statements of witness may be proved to corroborate later testimony as to same fact

The Indian Evidence Act, 1872 was repealed and replaced by the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 from 1 July 2024. It still applies to matters and proceedings from before that date, as the repealing law provides.

Now in the BSA section 160 (Former statements of witness may be proved to corroborate later testimony as to same fact)

In plain words

To corroborate a witness's testimony, any earlier statement by the witness about the same fact, made at or about the time it happened, or before any authority legally competent to investigate it, can be proved.

A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.

Official text

In order to corroborate the testimony of a witness, any former statement made by such witness 1. Subs. by Act 18 of 1872, s. 11, for “had” (w.e.f. 29-8-1872). 2. Clause (4) omitted by Act 4 of 2003, s. 3 (w.e.f. 31-12-2002).

relating to the same fact, at or about the time when the fact took place, or before any authority legally competent to investigate the fact, may be proved.

Corresponding sections were matched by comparing the wording of both official texts, and for the IPC and BNS, also against a published correspondence table. Wording, punishments and structure often changed, so read both sections before relying on the match.

Source: India Code (Legislative Department), the text of the Act as it stood before its repeal. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here.

Supreme Court judgments citing the section 157