BNSS 43 — Arrest how made.

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023

Statutory text

(1) In making an  arrest the police officer or other person making the  same
shall actually touch or confine the body of the person to be arrested, unless there be a submission to the
custody by word or action:
Provided that where a woman is to be arrested, unless the circumstances indicate to the contrary, her
submission  to  custody  on  an  oral  intimation  of  arrest  shall  be  presumed  and,  unless  the  circumstances
otherwise require or unless the police officer is a female, the police officer shall not touch the person of the
woman for making her arrest.
(2)  If  such  person  forcibly  resists  the  endeavour  to  arrest  him,  or  attempts  to  evade  the  arrest,  such
police officer or other person may use all means necessary to effect the arrest.

(3) The police officer may, keeping in view the nature and gravity of the offence, use handcuff while
making the arrest of a person or while producing such person before the court who is a habitual or repeat
offender, or who escaped from custody, or who has committed  offence of organised crime,  terrorist act,
drug related crime, or illegal possession of arms and ammunition, murder, rape, acid attack, counterfeiting
of coins and currency-notes, human trafficking, sexual offence against children, or offence against the State.
(4) Nothing in this section gives a right to cause the death of a person who is not accused of an offence
punishable with death or with imprisonment for life.
(5) Save in exceptional circumstances, no woman shall be arrested after sunset and before sunrise, and
where such exceptional circumstances exist, the  woman  police  officer shall, by making a  written report,
obtain the prior permission of the Magistrate of the first class within whose local jurisdiction the offence is
committed or the arrest is to be made.

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