Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 / Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita
This domain follows the life of a criminal case: information, investigation, cognizance, charge, trial, appeal. From 1 July 2024 the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 replaces the CrPC, but the doctrine survives; learn the new numbering alongside the old.
Core rules
- FIR under s.154 CrPC (s.173 BNSS) may be oral, written or by electronic communication; a zero-FIR may be registered at any station and forwarded to the competent one.
- Remand under s.167 CrPC (s.187 BNSS): production within 24 hours, further detention only on a report, and default bail if the charge-sheet is not filed within 60 or 90 days.
- Cognizance under s.190; examination of the complainant under s.200; discharge under s.239; charge under s.211 and its ingredients.
- Bail: s.436 (bailable), s.437 (non-bailable before a Magistrate), s.439 (Sessions and High Court), s.438 anticipatory bail (s.482 BNSS).
- Complaint cases, summary trials under s.260 and appeals under ss.372 to 394 are frequently examined.
Worked example
An offence punishable with ten years is registered and the accused is arrested on 1 January. The 90-day limit expires on 31 March. The charge-sheet is filed on 2 April. If the accused applies on 1 April, before the charge-sheet is taken on record, he becomes entitled to default bail as of right; filing later does not repair the lapse.
Traps
Default bail is wrongly applied to complaint cases; anticipatory bail is confused with regular bail, though only the Sessions Court or High Court can grant it; s.167 is treated as a source of power to remand indefinitely; and the difference between discharge (s.239) and acquittal is missed.