Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973–Sec. 306–Scope–A Chief Judicial Magistrate or a Metropolitan Magistrate is empowered to grant pardon to any person at any of three stages of the criminal case, namely-the stage of investigation, inquiry, and trial–The Magistrate of the first class can grant pardon only at two stages, namely-the stage of inquiring into or the stage of trying the offence.
