509.(1) The deposition of a Civil Surgeon or other medical witness, taken and attested by a Magistrate in the presence of the accused, or taken on commission under Chapter XL, may be given in evidence in any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Code, although the deponent is not called as a witness.

(2) The Court may, if it thinks fit, summon and examine such deponent as to the subject-matter of his deposition.

¹[509A. Where in any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Code the report of a post-mortem examination is required to be used as evidence, and the Civil Surgeon or other medical officer who made the report is dead or is incapable of giving evidence or is beyond the limits of Bangladesh and his attendance cannot be procured without an amount of delay, expense or inconvenience which, under the circumstances of the case, would be unreasonable, such report may be used as evidence.]

²[510. Any document purporting to be a report under the hand of any Chemical Examiner or Assistant Chemical Examiner to Government or any serologist, handwriting expert, finger print expert or fire-arm expert appointed by the Government, upon any matter or thing duly submitted to him for examination or analysis and report in the course of any proceeding under this Code, may, without calling him as a witness, be used as evidence in any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Code.]

³[510A.(1) The evidence of any person whose evidence is of a formal character may be given by affidavit and may, subject to all just exceptions, be read in evidence in any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Code. (2) The Court may, if it thinks fit, and shall, on the application of the prosecution or the accused, summon and examine any such person as to the facts contained in his affidavit.]

511. In any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Code, a previous conviction or acquittal may be proved, in addition to any other mode provided by any law for the time being in force- (a) by an extract certified under the hand of the officer having the custody of the records of the Court in which such conviction or acquittal was had to be a copy of the sentence or order; or (b) in case of a conviction, either by a certificate signed by the officer in charge of the jail in which the punishment or any part thereof was inflicted, or by production of the warrant of commitment under which the punishment was suffered; together with, in each of such cases, evidence as to the identity of the accused person with the person so convicted or acquitted.

512.(1) If it is proved that an accused person has absconded, and that there is no immediate prospect of arresting him, the Court competent to try ⁴[* * *] such person for the offence complained of may, in his absence, examine the witnesses (if any) produced on behalf of the prosecution, and record their depositions. Any such deposition may ⁵[* * *] be given in evidence against him on the inquiry into, or trial for, the offence with which he is charged, if the deponent is dead or incapable of giving evidence or his attendance cannot be procured without an amount of delay, expense or inconvenience which, under the circumstances of the case, would be unreasonable.

(2) If it appears that an offence punishable with death or transportation has been committed by some person or persons unknown, the High Court Division may direct that any Magistrate of the first class shall hold an inquiry and examine any witnesses who can give evidence concerning the offence. Any depositions so taken may be given in evidence against any person who is subsequently accused of the offence, if the deponent is dead or incapable of giving evidence or beyond the limits of Bangladesh.