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10. The word "investigation" has been defined under Section 2(h) of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 as follows:-

"investigation" includes all the proceedings under this Code for the collection of evidence conducted by a police officer or by any person (other than a Magistrate) who is authorized by a Magistrate in this behalf."

11. Chapter-XII of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 deals with "information to the police and their powers to investigate", which includes Sections 154 to

(4) The following Magistrates are empowered to hold inquests, namely, any District Magistrate or Sub-divisional Magistrate and any other Executive Magistrate specially empowered in this behalf by the State Government or the District Magistrate."

12. The word "investigation", as defined under Section 2(h) of the Code mentioned supra, includes all the proceedings under the said Code for the collection of evidence conducted by a police officer or by any person (other than a Magistrate) who is authorized by a Magistrate in that behalf. This question has already been answered by the apex Court in Union of India v. Prakash P. Hinduja, (2003) 6 SCC 195.

13. In State of Madhya Pradesh v. Mubarak Ali, AIR 1959 SC 707, the apex Court held that the word "investigation" defined under Section 2(h) of the Code, which was in Section 4(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, defines investigation as to include all the proceedings under that Code for the collection of evidence conducted by the police officer or other persons other than a Magistrate in that behalf. Under the Code, investigation consists generally of the following steps (i) proceeding to the spot; (ii) ascertainment of the facts and circumstances of the case, (iii) discovery and arrest of the suspected offender, (iv) collection of evidence relating to the commission of the offence which may consist of (a) the examination of the various persons (including the accused) and the reduction of their statements into writing, if the officer thinks fit, (b) the search of places of seizure of things considered necessary for the investigation and to be produced at the trial, and (v) formation of the opinion as to whether on the material collected there is a case to place the accused before a Magistrate for trial and if so taking the necessary steps for the same by the filing of a charge-sheet under Section 173.

Therefore, the word "investigation" has been defined under Section 2(h) of the Code and the expression therefore is used with definite meaning in the strict legal sense and not in a loose or general sense.

15. In K. Veeraswami v. Union of India, 1991 (3) SCC 655, the apex Court held that investigation is a systematic minute and thorough attempt to learn the facts about something complex or hidden; it is often formal and official. "Investigation" consists of the following steps: (i) proceeding to the spot; (ii) ascertainment of the facts and circumstances of the case; (iii) discovery and arrest of the suspected offender; (iv) collection of evidence relating to the commission of the offence which may consist of the examination of various persons (including the accused) and the reduction of their statement into writing, if the officer thinks fit; search of places and seizure of things considered necessary for investigation and for production at the trial; and (v) formation of the opinion as to whether on the materials collected there is a case to place the accused before the Magistrate for trial and, if so, taking necessary steps for the same by filing a charge sheet under Section 173 Cr.P.C.. Thus the purpose of the investigation is to find out whether materials exist to place the accused before the Magistrate for trial.