119Tender of pardon to accomplices

(1) With a view to obtaining the evidence of any person supposed to have been directly or indirectly concerned in or privy to an offence triable by a Force Court other than a Summary Force Court under this Act, the commanding officer, the convening officer or the Force Court, at any stage of investigation or inquiry into or the trial of, the offence, may tender a pardon to such person on condition of his making a full and true disclosure of the whole of the circumstances within his knowledge relating to the offence and to every other person concerned, whether as principal or abettor, in the commission thereof.

(2) The commanding officer or the convening officer who tenders pardon under sub-section (1) shall record,–

(a) his reasons for so doing;

(b) whether the tender was or was not accepted by the person to whom it was made, and shall, on application made by accused, furnish him with a copy of such record free of cost.

(3) Every person accepting a tender of pardon made under sub-section (1)–

(a) shall be examined as a witness by the commanding officer of the accused and in the subsequent trial, if any;

(b) may be detained in Force custody until the termination of the trial.