A used against an accused person unless the court is satisfied that it was voluntary and at that stage the question whether it is true or false does not arise. If the facts and circumstances surrounding the making ot·a_c;onfession appear to cast a doubt on the veracity or voluntariness of the confession, the court may B refuse to act upon the confession, even if it is admissible in evidence. One important question, in regard to which the court has to be satisfied with is, whether when the accused made.the confession, he was a-Jree man or his movements were controlled by the police either by themselves or through some other cagency employed by them for the purpose of securing such a confession. The question whether a confession is voluntary or not is always a question of fact. All the factors and all the circumstances of the case, including the important factors of the time given for reflection, scope of the accused getting a feeling Dof threat, inducement or promise, must be considered before deciding whether the court is satisfied that in its opinion the impression caused by the inducement, threat or promise, if any, has been fully removed. A free and voluntary confession is de:.. serving ofthe highest credit, because it is pr~sumed to flow from the highest sense of guilt. It is not to be conceived that a E man would be induced to make a free and voluntary confession . of guilt, so contrary to the feelings and principles of human natu re; if the facts confessed were not true. Deliberate. and voluntary confessions of guilt, if clearly proved, are among the most effectual proofs in law. An involuntary confession is one which F is not the result of the free will of the maker of it. So where the statement is made as a result of harassment and continuous interrogation for several hours after the person is treated as an · offender and accused, such statement must be regarded as involtmtary. The inducement may take the form of a promise or G . of a threat, and often the inducement involves both promise and . threat, a promise of forgiveness if disclosure is made and threat of prosecution if it is not. (See: Woodroffe's Evidence, 9th Edn., p. 284.) A promise is always attached to the confession alternative while a threat is always attached to the silence alternaHtive; thus, in one case the prisoner is measuring the net advan-
