Under Section 148 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, a witness may be contradicted as to…

Section 148 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (formerly section 145 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872) lets a witness be cross-examined about a previous written statement without the writing being shown to him or proved; but if it is intended to contradict him by the writing, his attention must, before the writing can be proved, be called to those parts of it which are to be used for contradicting him. Contradiction therefore needs two steps: the relevant parts are first put to the witness, and the writing is then proved, for example through the officer who recorded it. A contradiction is not established without proof of the writing, and proving the writing before the witness's attention has been drawn to it reverses the statutory order.