Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985:ss. 42, 53 and 67 – Power under s. 67 – Extent, nature,purpose and scope of – Confession made under – Before the officersdesignated u/ss. 42 or 53 – Whether admissible as a substantiveevidence – Held: Statement recorded under s. 67 cannot be admittedas a substantive evidence – To hold that such statement can be thebasis to convict a person under the Act would be a direct infringementof the constitutional guarantees contained in Arts. 14, 20(3) and21 of the Constitution.Evidence Act, 1872:s.25 – Officers invested with powers u/s. 53 of NDPS Act –Are ‘Police Officers’ within the meaning of s. 25 – Therefore, anyconfessional statement made to such officers, would be barred u/s.25.s.25 – ‘Police Officers’ – s. 25 – Held: Expression ‘PoliceOfficers’ in s.25 does not only mean a police officer who belongs toState Police force, but includes officers who may belong to otherdepartments – Where limited powers of investigation are given toofficers for some purpose other than the prevention and detectionof crime, such persons cannot be said to be police officers – Wherea person, not a police officer properly so called, if invested with allpowers of investigation, which culminates in filing of police report,such person can be called police officer.Interpretation of statutes:Marginal note – Is an important internal tool for indicatingthe meaning and purpose of a Section in a statute.Words and Phrases:‘Enquiry’ – Meaning of Expression ‘Custody’ – Meaning of – Distinction from the expression ‘arrest’.‘Police Officer’ – Meaning in the context of s. 25 of Evidence Act.