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Wednesday, 11 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XIII: Information To The Police And Their Powers To Investigate

Section 190 BNSS: Cases to be sent to Magistrate, when evidence is sufficient

Corresponding CrPC
Section 170 CrPC

Bare Act text

(1) If, upon an investigation under this Chapter, it appears to the officer in charge of the police station that there is sufficient evidence or reasonable ground as aforesaid, such officer shall forward the accused under custody to a Magistrate empowered to take cognizance of the offence upon a police report and to try the accused or commit him for trial, or, if the offence is bailable and the accused is able to give security, shall take security from him for his appearance before such Magistrate on a day fixed and for his attendance from day to day before such Magistrate until otherwise directed:

Provided that if the accused is not in custody, the police officer shall take security from such person for his appearance before the Magistrate and the Magistrate to whom such report is forwarded shall not refuse to accept the same on the ground that the accused is not taken in custody.

(2) When the officer in charge of a police station forwards an accused person to a Magistrate or takes security for his appearance before such Magistrate under this section, he shall send to such Magistrate any weapon or other article which it may be necessary to produce before him, and shall require the complainant (if any) and so many of the persons who appear to such officer to be acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case as he may think necessary, to execute a bond to appear before the Magistrate as thereby directed and prosecute or give evidence (as the case may be) in the matter of the charge against the accused.

(3) If the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate is mentioned in the bond, such Court shall be held to include any Court to which such Magistrate may refer the case for inquiry or trial, provided reasonable notice of such reference is given to such complainant or persons.

(4) The officer in whose presence the bond is executed shall deliver a copy thereof to one of the persons who executed it, and shall then send to the Magistrate the original with his report.

Text as enacted in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (Act No. 46 of 2023), in force from 1 July 2024. Source: India Code, Government of India.

In simple words

Requires an officer in charge of a police station, if there is sufficient evidence or reasonable ground, to forward the accused in custody to a Magistrate empowered to take cognizance on a police report. If the offence is bailable and the accused can give security, the officer takes security for appearance before the Magistrate on a fixed day.

Chapter XIII: Information To The Police And Their Powers To Investigate

  1. 173 Information in cognizable cases
  2. 174 Information as to non-cognizable cases and investigation of such cases
  3. 175 Police officer’s power to investigate cognizable case
  4. 176 Procedure for investigation
  5. 177 Report how submitted
  6. 178 Power to hold investigation or preliminary inquiry
  7. 179 Police officer's power to require attendance of witnesses
  8. 180 Examination of witnesses by police
  9. 181 Statements to police and use thereof
  10. 182 No inducement to be offered
  11. 183 Recording of confessions and statements
  12. 184 Medical examination of victim of rape
  13. 185 Search by police officer
  14. 186 When officer in charge of police station may require another to issue search-warrant
  15. 187 Procedure when investigation cannot be completed in twenty-four hours
  16. 188 Report of investigation by subordinate police officer
  17. 189 Release of accused when evidence deficient
  18. 190 Cases to be sent to Magistrate, when evidence is sufficient
  19. 191 Complainant and witnesses not to be required to accompany police officer and not to be subject to restraint
  20. 192 Diary of proceedings in investigation
  21. 193 Report of police officer on completion of investigation
  22. 194 Police to enquire and report on suicide, etc
  23. 195 Power to summon persons
  24. 196 Inquiry by Magistrate into cause of death