Section 499 BNSS: Payment to innocent purchaser of money found on accused
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Section 499 BNSS at a Glance
Section 499 BNSS deals with payment to innocent purchaser of money found on accused. It replaced Section 453 CrPC on 1 July 2024.
Section 499 BNSS Bare Act Text
499. Payment to innocent purchaser of money found on accused
When any person is convicted of any offence which includes, or amounts to, theft or receiving stolen property, and it is proved that any other person bought the stolen property from him without knowing or having reason to believe that the same was stolen, and that any money has on his arrest been taken out of the possession of the convicted person, the Court may, on the application of such purchaser and on the restitution of the stolen property to the person entitled to the possession thereof, order that out of such money a sum not exceeding the price paid by such purchaser be delivered to him within six months from the date of such order.
Source: Section 499, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Section 499 BNSS in Simple Words
Section 499 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 is headed Payment to innocent purchaser of money found on accused.
It applies when any person is convicted of any offence which includes, or amounts to, theft or receiving stolen property, and it is proved that any other person bought the stolen property from him without knowing or having reason to believe that the same was stolen, and that any money has on his arrest been taken out of the possession of the convicted person.
The Court may, on the application of such purchaser and on the restitution of the stolen property to the person entitled to the possession thereof, order that out of such money a sum not exceeding the price paid by such purchaser be delivered to him within six months from the date of such order.
When Section 499 BNSS Applies
- Section 499 BNSS applies when any person is convicted of any offence which includes, or amounts to, theft or receiving stolen property.
- It must be proved that any other person bought the stolen property from the convicted person without knowing or having reason to believe that the same was stolen.
- It must also be proved that any money has on his arrest been taken out of the possession of the convicted person.
- The Court may act on the application of such purchaser and on the restitution of the stolen property to the person entitled to the possession thereof.
- The order is that out of such money a sum not exceeding the price paid by such purchaser be delivered to him within six months from the date of such order.
Time Limits Under Section 499 BNSS
- Under Section 499 BNSS, the sum is to be delivered within six months from the date of such order.Act text: “be delivered to him within six months from the date of such order”
Example of Section 499 BNSS
When Section 499 BNSS Does Not Apply
- Section 499 BNSS speaks of payment to a purchaser out of money found on the convicted person. It does not deal with the disposal of property at the conclusion of a trial, which is the subject of Section 498 BNSS.
- Section 499 BNSS speaks of the restitution of stolen property to the person entitled to the possession thereof. It does not deal with the power to restore possession of immovable property, which is the subject of Section 502 BNSS.
Section 499 BNSS in the CrPC (Previous Law)
Section 499 BNSS replaces Section 453 CrPC from the old criminal code.
From 1 July 2024, Section 499 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 replaced Section 453 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The heading is the same. Section 499 BNSS adds the words within six months from the date of such order after be delivered to him, and Section 453 CrPC has no counterpart to those words. The rest of the text is the same.
View CrPC Section 453 →FAQs on Section 499 BNSS
When does Section 499 BNSS apply?▼
Section 499 BNSS applies when any person is convicted of any offence which includes, or amounts to, theft or receiving stolen property, and it is proved that any other person bought the stolen property from him without knowing or having reason to believe that the same was stolen, and that any money has on his arrest been taken out of the possession of the convicted person.
What order may the Court make under Section 499 BNSS?▼
Under Section 499 BNSS, the Court may, on the application of such purchaser and on the restitution of the stolen property to the person entitled to the possession thereof, order that out of such money a sum not exceeding the price paid by such purchaser be delivered to him within six months from the date of such order.
What time does Section 499 BNSS state for delivery of the sum?▼
Section 499 BNSS says that the sum is to be delivered to him within six months from the date of such order.
What changed from Section 453 CrPC to Section 499 BNSS from 1 July 2024?▼
From 1 July 2024, Section 499 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 replaced Section 453 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The heading is the same. Section 499 BNSS adds the words within six months from the date of such order after be delivered to him, and Section 453 CrPC does not have those words. The rest of the text is the same.
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Sources: Bare Act Text, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Last updated: 22 Oct 2026 ·