CrPC · Chapter XXXIV · Disposal of property

CrPC section 455 in the BNSS

CrPC 455BNSS 501

CrPC section 455, “Destruction of libellous and other matter”, is now BNSS section 501 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, in force from 1 July 2024.

What changed

From CrPC 455 to BNSS 501

Now BNSS section 501, with the same power; the defamation offences are now in BNS section 356.

The official text

Old and new, side by side

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

Section 455 Destruction of libellous and other matter

(1) On a conviction under section 292, section 293, section 501 or section 502 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), the Court may order the destruction of all the copies of the thing in respect of which the conviction was had, and which are in the custody of the Court or remain in the possession or power of the person convicted.

(2) The Court may, in like manner, on a conviction under section 272, section 273, section 274 or section 275 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), order the food, drink, drug or medical preparation in respect of which the conviction was had, to be destroyed.

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023

Section 501 Destruction of libellous and other matter

(1) On a conviction under section 294, section 295, or sub-sections (3) and (4) of section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Court may order the destruction of all the copies of the thing in respect of which the conviction was had, and which are in the custody of the Court or remain in the possession or power of the person convicted.

(2) The Court may, in like manner, on a conviction under section 274, section 275, section 276 or section 277 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, order the food, drink, drug or medical preparation in respect of which the conviction was had, to be destroyed.

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amendment markers and footnotes of the official print are left out, so the old section reads as it stood when it was repealed; State amendments are not shown.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The BNSS repealed the CrPC from 1 July 2024 (section 531(1)).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.