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CrPC · Chapter XXV · Provisions as to accused persons of unsound mind

CrPC section 339 in the BNSS

CrPC 339BNSS 378

CrPC section 339, “Delivery of lunatic to care of relative or friend”, is now BNSS section 378 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, in force from 1 July 2024.

What changed

From CrPC 339 to BNSS 378

Now BNSS section 378, with the same procedure; “lunatic” becomes “person of unsound mind”.

The official text

Old and new, side by side

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

Section 339 Delivery of lunatic to care of relative or friend

(1) Whenever any relative or friend of any person detained under the provisions of section 330 or section 335 desires that he shall be delivered to his care and custody, the State Government may, upon the application of such relative or friend and on his giving security to the satisfaction of such State Government, that the person delivered shall—

(a) be properly taken care of and prevented from doing injury to himself or to any other person;

(b) be produced for the inspection of such officer, and at such times and places, as the State Government may direct;

(c) in the case of a person detained under sub-section (2) of section 330, be produced when required before such Magistrate or Court, order such person to be delivered to such relative or friend.

(2) If the person so delivered is accused of any offence, the trial of which has been postponed by reason of his being of unsound mind and incapable of making his defence, and the inspecting officer referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1), certifies at any time to the Magistrate or Court that such person is capable of making his defence, such Magistrate or Court shall call upon the relative or friend to whom such accused was delivered to produce him before the Magistrate or Court; and, upon such production the Magistrate or Court shall proceed in accordance with the provisions of section 332, and the certificate of the inspecting office shall be receivable as evidence.

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023

Section 378 Delivery of person of unsound mind to care of relative or friend

(1) Whenever any relative or friend of any person detained under the provisions of section 369 or section 374 desires that he shall be delivered to his care and custody, the State Government may, upon the application of such relative or friend and on his giving security to the satisfaction of such State Government, that the person delivered shall—

(a) be properly taken care of and prevented from doing injury to himself or to any other person;

(b) be produced for the inspection of such officer, and at such times and places, as the State Government may direct;

(c) in the case of a person detained under sub-section (2) of section 369, be produced when required before such Magistrate or Court, order such person to be delivered to such relative or friend.

(2) If the person so delivered is accused of any offence, the trial of which has been postponed by reason of his being of unsound mind and incapable of making his defence, and the inspecting officer referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1), certifies at any time to the Magistrate or Court that such person is capable of making his defence, such Magistrate or Court shall call upon the relative or friend to whom such accused was delivered to produce him before the Magistrate or Court; and, upon such production the Magistrate or Court shall proceed in accordance with the provisions of section 371, and the certificate of the inspecting officer shall be receivable as evidence.

The texts are India Code’s. The amendment markers and footnotes of the official print are left out, so the old section reads as it stood when it was repealed; State amendments are not shown. The PDFs linked below carry the full history.

Old law or new?

Which one applies to a case

The BNSS repealed the CrPC from 1 July 2024 (section 531(1)). Any appeal, application, trial, inquiry or investigation pending immediately before that date is disposed of under the CrPC as it then stood, as if the BNSS had not come into force (section 531(2)(a)). Anything not pending on that date follows the BNSS.

Sources

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