Section 347 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Local inspection.
(1) Any Judge or Magistrate may, at any stage of any inquiry, trial or other proceeding, after due notice to the parties, visit and inspect any place in which an offence is alleged to have been committed, or any other place in which it is in his opinion necessary to view for the purpose of properly appreciating the evidence given at such inquiry or trial, and shall without unnecessary delay record a memorandum of any relevant facts observed
at such inspection.
(2) Such memorandum shall form part of the record of the case and if the prosecutor, complainant or accused or any other party to the case, so desires, a copy of the memorandum shall be furnished to him free of cost.
Section 348 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Power to summon material witness, or examine person present.
Any Court may, at any stage of any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Sanhita, summon any person as a witness, or examine any person in attendance, though not summoned as a witness, or recall and re-examine any person already examined; and the Court shall summon and examine or recall and re-examine any such person if his evidence
appears to it to be essential to the just decision of the case.
Section 349 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Power of Magistrate to order person to give specimen signatures or handwriting, etc.
If a Magistrate of the first class is satisfied that, for the purposes of any investigation or proceeding under this Sanhita, it is expedient to direct any person, including an accused person, to give specimen signatures or finger impressions or handwriting or voice sample, he may make an order to that effect and in that case the person to whom the order relates shall be produced or shall attend at the time and place specified in such order and shall give his specimen signatures or finger impressions or handwriting or voice sample:
Provided that no order shall be made under this section unless the person has at some time been arrested in connection with such investigation or proceeding:
Provided further that the Magistrate may, for the reasons to be recorded in writing, order any person to give such specimen or sample without him being arrested.
Section 350 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), Bare Act:
Expenses of complainants and witnesses.
Subject to any rules made by the State Government, any Criminal Court may, if it thinks fit, order payment, on the part of the Government, of the reasonable expenses of any complainant or witness attending for the purposes of any inquiry, trial or other proceeding before such Court under this Sanhita.
Section 351 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Power to examine the accused
(1) In every inquiry or trial, for the purpose of enabling the accused personally to explain any circumstances appearing in the evidence against him, the Court—
(a) may at any stage, without previously warning the accused put such questions to him as the Court considers necessary;
(b) shall, after the witnesses for the prosecution have been examined and before he is called on for his defence, question him generally on the case:
Provided that in a summon-case, where the Court has dispensed with the personal attendance of the accused, it may also dispense with his examination under clause (b).
(2) No oath shall be administered to the accused when he is examined under sub-section (1).
(3) The accused shall not render himself liable to punishment by refusing to answer such questions, or by giving false answers to them.
(4) The answers given by the accused may be taken into consideration in such inquiry or trial, and put in evidence for or against him in any other inquiry into, or trial for, any other offence which such answers may tend to show he has committed.
(5) The Court may take help of Prosecutor and Defence Counsel in preparing relevant questions which are to be put to the accused and the Court may permit filing of written statement by the accused as sufficient compliance of this section.
Section 352 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Oral arguments and memorandum of arguments.
(1) Any party to a proceeding may, as soon as may be, after the close of his evidence, address concise oral arguments, and may, before he concludes the oral arguments,
if any, submit a memorandum to the Court setting forth concisely and under distinct headings, the arguments in support of his case and every such memorandum shall form part of the record.
(2) A copy of every such memorandum shall be simultaneously furnished to the opposite party.
(3) No adjournment of the proceedings shall be granted for the purpose of filing the written arguments unless the Court, for reasons to be recorded in writing, considers it necessary to grant such adjournment.
(4) The Court may, if it is of opinion that the oral arguments are not concise or relevant, regulate such arguments.
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Section 353 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Accused person to be competent witness.
(1) Any person accused of an offence before a Criminal Court shall be a competent witness for the defence and may give evidence on oath in disproof of the charges made against him or any person charged together with him at the same trial:
Provided that—
(a) he shall not be called as a witness except on his own request in writing;
(b) his failure to give evidence shall not be made the subject of any comment by any of the parties or the Court or give rise to any presumption against himself or any person charged together with him that the same trial.
(2) Any person against whom proceedings are instituted in any Criminal Court under section 101, or section 126 or section 127, or section 128, or section 129, or under Chapter X
or under Part B, Part C or Part D of Chapter XI, may offer himself as a witness in such proceedings:
Provided that in proceedings under section 127, section 128, or section 129, the failure of such person to give evidence shall not be made the subject of any comment by any of the parties or the Court or give rise to any presumption against him or any other person proceeded against together with him at the same inquiry.
Section 354 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
No influence to be used to induce disclosure.
Except as provided in sections 343 and 344, no influence, by means of any promise or threat or otherwise, shall be used to an accused person to induce him to disclose or withhold any matter within his knowledge.
Section 355 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Provision for inquiries and trial being held in the absence of accused in certain cases.
(1) At any stage of an inquiry or trial under this Sanhita, if the Judge or Magistrate is satisfied, for reasons to be recorded, that the personal attendance of the accused before the Court is not necessary in the interests of justice, or that the accused persistently disturbs the proceedings in Court, the Judge or Magistrate may, if the accused is represented by an advocate, dispense with his attendance and proceed with such inquiry or trial in his absence, and may, at any subsequent stage of the proceedings, direct the personal attendance of such accused.
(2) If the accused in any such case is not represented by an advocate, or if the Judge or Magistrate considers his personal attendance necessary, he may, if he thinks fit and for reasons to be recorded by him, either adjourn such inquiry or trial, or order that the case of such accused be taken up or tried separately.
Explanation.—For the purpose of this section, personal attendance of the accused includes attendance through audio video electronic means.
Section 356 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Inquiry trial or judgment in absentia of proclaimed offender.
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Sanhita or in any other law for the time being in force, when a person declared as a proclaimed offender, whether or not charged jointly, has absconded to evade trial and there is no immediate prospect of arresting him, it shall be deemed to operate as a waiver of the right of such person to be present and tried in person, and the Court shall, after recording reasons in writing, in the interest of justice, proceed with the trial in the like manner and with like effect as if he was present, under this Sanhita and pronounce the judgment:
Provided that the Court shall not commence the trial unless a period of ninety days has lapsed from the date of framing of the charge.
(2) The Court shall ensure that the following procedure has been complied with before proceeding under sub-section (1) namely:—
(i) issuance of execution of two consecutive warrants of arrest within the interval of atleast thirty days;
(ii) publish in a national or local daily newspaper circulating in the place of his last known address of residence, requiring the proclaimed offender to appear before the Court for trial and informing him that in case he fails to appear within thirty days from the date of such publication, the trial shall commence in his absence;
(iii) inform his relative or friend, if any, about the commencement of the trial;
and
(iv) affix information about the commencement of the trial on some conspicuous part of the house or homestead in which such person ordinarily resides and display in the police station of the district of his last known address of residence.
(3) Where the proclaimed offender is not represented by any advocate, he shall be provided with an advocate for his defence at the expense of the State.
(4) Where the Court, competent to try the case or commit for trial, has examined any witnesses for prosecution and recorded their depositions, such depositions shall be given in evidence against such proclaimed offender on the inquiry into, or in trial for, the offence with which he is charged:
Provided that if the proclaimed offender is arrested and produced or appears before the Court during such trial, the Court may, in the interest of justice, allow him to examine any evidence which may have been taken in his absence.
(5) Where a trial is related to a person under this section, the deposition and examination of the witness, may, as far as practicable, be recorded by audio-video electronic means preferably mobile phone and such recording shall be kept in such manner as the Court may direct.
(6) In prosecution for offences under this Sanhita, voluntary absence of accused after the trial has commenced under sub-section (1) shall not prevent continuing the trial including the pronouncement of the judgment even if he is arrested and produced or appears
at the conclusion of such trial.
(7) No appeal shall lie against the judgment under this section unless the proclaimed offender presents himself before the Court of appeal:
Provided that no appeal against conviction shall lie after the expiry of three years from the date of the judgment.
(8) The State may, by notification, extend the provisions of this section to any absconder mentioned in sub-section (1) of section 84 of this Sanhita.
Section 357 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Procedure where accused does not understand proceedings.
If the accused, though not a person with unsound mind, cannot be made to understand the proceedings, the Court may proceed with the inquiry or trial; and, in the case of a Court other than a High Court, if such proceedings result in a conviction, the proceedings shall be forwarded to the High Court with a report of the circumstances of the case, and the High Court shall pass thereon such order as it thinks fit.
Section 358 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Power to proceed against other persons appearing to be guilty of offence.
(1) Where, in the course of any inquiry into, or trial of, an offence, it appears from the evidence that any person not being the accused has committed any offence for which such person could be tried together with the accused, the Court may proceed against such person for the offence which he appears to have committed.
(2) Where such person is not attending the Court, he may be arrested or summoned,
as the circumstances of the case may require, for the purpose aforesaid.
(3) Any person attending the Court, although not under arrest or upon a summons, may be detained by such Court for the purpose of the inquiry into, or trial of, the offence which he appears to have committed.
(4) Where the Court proceeds against any person under sub-section (1), then—
(a) the proceedings in respect of such person shall be commenced afresh, and the witnesses re-heard;
(b) subject to the provisions of clause (a), the case may proceed as if such person had been an accused person when the Court took cognizance of the offence upon which the inquiry or trial was commenced.
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Section 360 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Withdrawal from prosecution.
The Public Prosecutor or Assistant Public Prosecutor in charge of a case may,
with the consent of the Court, at any time before the judgment is pronounced, withdraw from the prosecution of any person either generally or in respect of any one or more of the offences for which he is tried; and, upon such withdrawal,—
(a) if it is made before a charge has been framed, the accused shall be discharged in respect of such offence or offences;
(b) if it is made after a charge has been framed, or when under this Sanhita no charge is required, he shall be acquitted in respect of such offence or offences:
Provided that where such offence—
(i) was against any law relating to a matter to which the executive power of the Union extends, or
(ii) was investigated under any Central Act, or
(iii) involved the misappropriation or destruction of, or damage to, any property
belonging to the Central Government, or
(iv) was committed by a person in the service of the Central Government while acting or purporting to act in the discharge of his official duty, and the Prosecutor in charge of the case has not been appointed by the Central Government, he shall not, unless he has been permitted by the Central Government to do so, move the Court for its consent to withdraw from the prosecution and the Court shall, before according consent, direct the Prosecutor to produce before it the permission granted by the Central Government to withdraw from the prosecution:
Provided further that no Court shall allow such withdrawal without giving an opportunity of being heard to the victim in the case.
Section 361 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Procedure in cases which Magistrate cannot dispose of.
(1) If, in the course of any inquiry into an offence or a trial before a Magistrate in any district, the evidence appears to him to warrant a presumption—
(a) that he has no jurisdiction to try the case or commit it for trial, or
(b) that the case is one which should be tried or committed for trial by some other Magistrate in the district, or
(c) that the case should be tried by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, he shall stay the proceedings and submit the case, with a brief report explaining its nature, to the Chief Judicial Magistrate or to such other Magistrate, having jurisdiction, as the Chief Judicial Magistrate directs.
(2) The Magistrate to whom the case is submitted may, if so empowered, either try the case himself or refer it to any magistrate subordinate to him having jurisdiction, or commit the accused to trial.
Section 362 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Procedure when after commencement of inquiry or trial, Magistrate finds case should be committed.
If, in any inquiry into an offence or a trial before a Magistrate, it appears to him
case himself, or refer it to any Magistrate subordinate to him having jurisdiction, or commit the accused for trial any stage of the proceedings before signing the judgment that the case is one which ought to be tried by the Court of Session, he shall commit it to that Court under the provisions hereinbefore contained and thereupon the provisions Chapter XIX shall apply to the commitment so made.
Section 363 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Trial of persons previously convicted of offences against coinage, stamp-law or property.
(1) Where a person, having been convicted of an offence punishable under Chapter XII or Chapter XVII of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, with imprisonment for a term of three years or upwards, is again accused of any offence punishable under either of those Chapters with imprisonment for a term of three years or upwards, and the Magistrate before whom the case is pending is satisfied that there is ground for presuming that such person has committed the offence, he shall be sent for trial to the Chief Judicial Magistrate or committed to the Court of Session, unless the Magistrate is competent to try the case and is of opinion that he can himself pass an adequate sentence if the accused is convicted.
(2) When any person is sent for trial to the Chief Judicial Magistrate or committed to the Court of Session under sub-section (1), any other person accused jointly with him in the same inquiry or trial shall be similarly sent or committed, unless the Magistrate discharges such other person under section 262 or section 268, as the case may be.
Section 364 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Procedure when Magistrate cannot pass sentence sufficiently severe.
(1) Whenever a Magistrate is of opinion, after hearing the evidence for the prosecution and the accused, that the accused is guilty, and that he ought to receive a punishment different in kind from, or more severe than, that which such Magistrate is empowered to inflict, or, being a Magistrate of the second class, is of opinion that the accused ought to be required to execute a bond or bail bond under section 125, he may record the opinion and submit his proceedings, and forward the accused, to the Chief Judicial Magistrate to whom he is subordinate.
(2) When more accused person than one are being tried together, and the Magistrate considers it necessary to proceed under sub-section (1), in regard to any of such accused, he shall forward all the accused, who are in his opinion guilty, to the Chief Judicial Magistrate.
(3) The Chief Judicial Magistrate to whom the proceedings are submitted may, if he thinks fit, examine the parties and recall and examine any witness who has already given evidence in the case and may call for and take any further evidence and shall pass such judgment, sentence or order in the case as he thinks fit, and is according to law.
Section 365 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Conviction or commitment on evidence partly recorded by one Magistrate and partly by another.
(1) Whenever any Judge or Magistrate, after having heard and recorded the whole or any part of the evidence in any enquiry or a trial, ceases to exercise jurisdiction therein and is succeeded by another Judge or Magistrate who has and who exercises such jurisdiction, the Judge or Magistrate so succeeding may act on the evidence so recorded by
his predecessor, or partly recorded by his predecessor and partly recorded by himself:
Provided that if the succeeding Judge or Magistrate is of the opinion that further examination of any of the witnesses whose evidence has already been recorded is necessary in the interests of justice, he may re-summon any such witness, and after such further examination, cross-examination and re-examination, if any, as he may permit, the witness shall be discharged.
(2) When a case is transferred under the provisions of this Sanhita from one Judge to another Judge or from one Magistrate to another Magistrate, the former shall be deemed to cease to exercise jurisdiction therein, and to be succeeded by the latter, within the meaning of sub-section (1).
(3) Nothing in this section applies to summary trials or to cases in which proceedings have been stayed under section 361 or in which proceedings have been submitted to a superior Magistrate under section 364.
Section 366 BNSS| Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Court to be open.
(1) The place in which any Criminal Court is held for the purpose of inquiring into or trying any offence shall be deemed to be an open Court, to which the public generally may have access, so far as the same can conveniently contain them:
Provided that the presiding Judge or Magistrate may, if he thinks fit, order at any stage of any inquiry into, or trial of, any particular case, that the public generally, or any particular person, shall not have access to, or be or remain in, the room or building used by the Court.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the inquiry into and trial of rape or an offence under section 64, section 65, section 66, section 67, section 68, section 70 or section 71 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 or under sections 4, 6, 8 or section 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 shall be conducted in camera:
Provided that the presiding Judge may, if he thinks fit, or on an application made by either of the parties, allow any particular person to have access to, or be or remain in, the room or building used by the Court:
Provided further that in camera trial shall be conducted as far as practicable by a woman Judge or Magistrate.
(3) Where any proceedings are held under sub-section (2), it shall not be lawful for any person to print or publish any matter in relation to any such proceedings except with the previous permission of the Court:
Provided that the ban on printing or publication of trial proceedings in relation to an offence of rape may be lifted, subject to maintaining confidentiality of name and address of the parties.
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Links to important chapters of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Section 30 to Section 40 of BNSS (Provisions relating to Arrest starting from Section 35):
Section 144-163 (Section 144,145,146 and 147 relate maintenance proceedings):
Section 173-Section 187 (including section 173 relating to FIR):
Section 188 to Section 209 (including section 193 relating to chargesheet/police report):
Section 210 to Section 222 (including provisions relating to cognizance):
Section 473 to Section 492) (Including Section 480, Section 481, Section 482, Section 483, Section 484, Section 485 that is, provisions relating to bail):
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