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Thursday, 12 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XII: Preventive Action Of The Police

Section 170 BNSS: Arrest to prevent commission of cognizable offences

Corresponding CrPC
Section 151 CrPC

Bare Act text

(1) A police officer knowing of a design to commit any cognizable offence may arrest, without orders from a Magistrate and without a warrant, the person so designing, if it appears to such officer that the commission of the offence cannot be otherwise prevented.

(2) No person arrested under sub-section (1) shall be detained in custody for a period exceeding twenty-four hours from the time of his arrest unless his further detention is required or authorised under any other provisions of this Sanhita or of any other law for the time being in force.

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

Allows a police officer who knows of a design to commit a cognizable offence to arrest the person without a Magistrate's order or warrant if the offence cannot otherwise be prevented. The person cannot be held for more than twenty-four hours from arrest unless further detention is required or authorised under other provisions.

Chapter XII: Preventive Action Of The Police

  1. 168 Police to prevent cognizable offences
  2. 169 Information of design to commit cognizable offences
  3. 170 Arrest to prevent commission of cognizable offences
  4. 171 Prevention of injury to public property
  5. 172 Persons bound to conform to lawful directions of police