This section has been enacted for the benefit of the accused, as pointed out by this Court in Tehsildar Singh and Another vs The State of Uttar Pradesh(1) it is intended "to protect the accused against the user of statements of witnesses made before the police during investigation, at the trial presumably on the assumption that the said statements were not made under circumstances inspiring confidence." This Court, in Tehsildar Singh 's case approved the following observations of Braund, J. in Emperor vs Aftab Mohd. Khan(2) "As it seems to us it is to protect accused persons from being prejudiced by statements made to police officers who by reason of the fact that an investigation is known to be on foot at the time the statement is made, may be in a position to influence the maker of it, and, on the other hand, to protect accused persons from the prejudice at the hands of persons who in the knowledge that an investigation has already started, are prepared to tell untruths." and expressed its agreement with the view taken by the Division Bench of the Nagpur High Court in Baliram Tikaram Marathe vs Emperor(3) that "the object of the section is to protect the accused both against overzealous police officers and untruthful witnesses.