Section 201 BNSS: Place of trial in case of certain offences
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Section 201 BNSS at a Glance
Section 201 BNSS deals with place of trial in case of certain offences. It replaced Section 181 CrPC on 1 July 2024.
Section 201 BNSS Bare Act Text
(1) Any offence of dacoity, or of dacoity with murder, of belonging to a gang of dacoits, or of escaping from custody, may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the accused person is found.
(2) Any offence of kidnapping or abduction of a person may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the person was kidnapped or abducted or was conveyed or concealed or detained.
(3) Any offence of theft, extortion or robbery may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the stolen property which is the subject of the offence was possessed by any person committing it or by any person who received or retained such property knowing or having reason to believe it to be stolen property.
(4) Any offence of criminal misappropriation or of criminal breach of trust may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or any part of the property which is the subject of the offence was received or retained, or was required to be returned or accounted for, by the accused person.
(5) Any offence which includes the possession of stolen property may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the stolen property was possessed by any person who received or retained it knowing or having reason to believe it to be stolen property.
Source: Section 201, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Section 201 BNSS in Simple Words
Section 201 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 deals with the place of trial in case of certain offences.
Under Section 201(1) BNSS, any offence of dacoity, or of dacoity with murder, of belonging to a gang of dacoits, or of escaping from custody, may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the accused person is found.
Section 201(2) BNSS to Section 201(5) BNSS deal with kidnapping or abduction of a person, theft, extortion or robbery, criminal misappropriation or criminal breach of trust, and an offence which includes the possession of stolen property.
When Section 201 BNSS Applies
- Under Section 201(1) BNSS, any offence of dacoity, or of dacoity with murder, of belonging to a gang of dacoits, or of escaping from custody, may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the accused person is found.
- Under Section 201(2) BNSS, any offence of kidnapping or abduction of a person may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the person was kidnapped or abducted or was conveyed or concealed or detained.
- Under Section 201(3) BNSS, any offence of theft, extortion or robbery may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the stolen property which is the subject of the offence was possessed by any person committing it or by any person who received or retained such property knowing or having reason to believe it to be stolen property.
- Under Section 201(4) BNSS, any offence of criminal misappropriation or of criminal breach of trust may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or any part of the property which is the subject of the offence was received or retained, or was required to be returned or accounted for, by the accused person.
- Under Section 201(5) BNSS, any offence which includes the possession of stolen property may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the stolen property was possessed by any person who received or retained it knowing or having reason to believe it to be stolen property.
Example of Section 201 BNSS
When Section 201 BNSS Does Not Apply
- Section 201(1) BNSS speaks of the offences listed in it, ending with escaping from custody. It does not deal with an offence committed on a journey or voyage, which is the subject of Section 203 BNSS.
- Section 201(2) BNSS speaks of an offence of kidnapping or abduction of a person. It does not deal with an offence committed by means of electronic communications, letters, etc, which is the subject of Section 202 BNSS.
- Section 201 BNSS speaks of the place of trial in case of certain offences. It does not deal with the ordinary place of inquiry and trial, which is the subject of Section 197 BNSS.
Section 201 BNSS in the CrPC (Previous Law)
Section 201 BNSS replaced Section 181 CrPC from 1 July 2024.
Section 201 BNSS has the same heading as Section 181 CrPC, Place of trial in case of certain offences. Section 201(1) BNSS has no counterpart to the words of being a thug, or murder committed by a thug, which Section 181(1) CrPC contained. Section 201(2) BNSS to Section 201(5) BNSS have the same text as Section 181(2) CrPC to Section 181(5) CrPC.
Each sub-section below names its own source.
FAQs on Section 201 BNSS
Which Courts may inquire into or try the offences in Section 201(1) BNSS and Section 201(2) BNSS?▼
Under Section 201(1) BNSS, any offence of dacoity, or of dacoity with murder, of belonging to a gang of dacoits, or of escaping from custody, may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the accused person is found. Under Section 201(2) BNSS, any offence of kidnapping or abduction of a person may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the person was kidnapped or abducted or was conveyed or concealed or detained.
Which Courts may inquire into or try theft, extortion or robbery, and offences which include the possession of stolen property, under Section 201 BNSS?▼
Under Section 201(3) BNSS, any offence of theft, extortion or robbery may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the stolen property which is the subject of the offence was possessed by any person committing it or by any person who received or retained such property knowing or having reason to believe it to be stolen property. Under Section 201(5) BNSS, any offence which includes the possession of stolen property may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the stolen property was possessed by any person who received or retained it knowing or having reason to believe it to be stolen property.
Which Courts may inquire into or try criminal misappropriation or criminal breach of trust under Section 201(4) BNSS?▼
Under Section 201(4) BNSS, any offence of criminal misappropriation or of criminal breach of trust may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or any part of the property which is the subject of the offence was received or retained, or was required to be returned or accounted for, by the accused person.
What changed from Section 181 CrPC to Section 201 BNSS from 1 July 2024?▼
Section 201 BNSS has the same heading as Section 181 CrPC, Place of trial in case of certain offences. Section 181(1) CrPC began Any offence of being a thug, or murder committed by a thug, of dacoity, of dacoity with murder, of belonging to a gang of dacoits, or of escaping from custody. Section 201(1) BNSS begins Any offence of dacoity, or of dacoity with murder, of belonging to a gang of dacoits, or of escaping from custody, and has no counterpart to the words of being a thug, or murder committed by a thug. Section 201(2) BNSS to Section 201(5) BNSS have the same text as Section 181(2) CrPC to Section 181(5) CrPC.
Section 201 BNSS: Sub-sections Explained
Section 201(1) BNSS: Place of trial in case of certain offences
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Bare Act Text
(1) Any offence of dacoity, or of dacoity with murder, of belonging to a gang of dacoits, or of escaping from custody, may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the accused person is found.
Section 201(2) BNSS: Place of trial in case of certain offences
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Bare Act Text
(2) Any offence of kidnapping or abduction of a person may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the person was kidnapped or abducted or was conveyed or concealed or detained.
Section 201(3) BNSS: Place of trial in case of certain offences
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Bare Act Text
(3) Any offence of theft, extortion or robbery may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the stolen property which is the subject of the offence was possessed by any person committing it or by any person who received or retained such property knowing or having reason to believe it to be stolen property.
Section 201(4) BNSS: Place of trial in case of certain offences
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Bare Act Text
(4) Any offence of criminal misappropriation or of criminal breach of trust may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or any part of the property which is the subject of the offence was received or retained, or was required to be returned or accounted for, by the accused person.
Section 201(5) BNSS: Place of trial in case of certain offences
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Bare Act Text
(5) Any offence which includes the possession of stolen property may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the stolen property was possessed by any person who received or retained it knowing or having reason to believe it to be stolen property.
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Sources: Bare Act Text, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Last updated: 21 Oct 2026 ·