Skip to content
Wednesday, 11 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XXIX: The Judgment

Section 398 BNSS: Witness protection scheme

Corresponding CrPC
New provision (no CrPC equivalent)
Note
New: requires each State Government to prepare and notify a Witness Protection Scheme.

Bare Act text

Every State Government shall prepare and notify a Witness Protection Scheme for the State with a view to ensure protection of the witnesses.

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

Every State Government must prepare and notify a Witness Protection Scheme for the State with a view to ensuring the protection of witnesses.

Chapter XXIX: The Judgment

  1. 392 Judgment
  2. 393 Language and contents of judgment
  3. 394 Order for notifying address of previously convicted offender
  4. 395 Order to pay compensation
  5. 396 Victim compensation scheme
  6. 397 Treatment of victims
  7. 398 Witness protection scheme
  8. 399 Compensation to persons groundlessly arrested
  9. 400 Order to pay costs in non-cognizable cases
  10. 401 Order to release on probation of good conduct or after admonition
  11. 402 Special reasons to be recorded in certain cases
  12. 403 Court not to alter judgment
  13. 404 Copy of judgment to be given to accused and other persons
  14. 405 Judgment when to be translated
  15. 406 Court of Session to send copy of finding and sentence to District Magistrate
ShareWhatsAppTelegramLinkedInX