BNSS 480 — When bail may be taken in case of non-bailable offence.

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023

Statutory text

(1) When any person accused of, or
suspected  of,  the  commission  of  any  non-bailable  offence  is  arrested  or  detained  without  warrant  by  an
officer in charge of a police station or appears or is brought before a Court other than the High Court or
Court of Session, he may be released on bail, but—
(i) such person shall not be so released if there appear reasonable grounds for believing that he has
been guilty of an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life;
(ii) such person shall not be so released if such offence is a cognizable offence and he had been
previously convicted of an offence punishable with death, imprisonment for life or imprisonment for
seven years or more, or he had been previously convicted on two or more occasions of a cognizable
offence punishable with imprisonment for three years or more but less than seven years:
Provided that the Court may direct that a person referred to in clause (i) or clause (ii) be released on
bail if such person is a child or is a woman or is sick or infirm:
Provided further that the Court may also direct that a person referred to in clause (ii) be released on bail
if it is satisfied that it is just and proper so to do for any other special reason:
Provided  also  that  the  mere  fact  that  an  accused  person  may  be  required  for  being  identified  by
witnesses  during  investigation  or  for  police  custody  beyond  the  first  fifteen  days  shall  not  be  sufficient
ground for refusing to grant bail if he is otherwise entitled to be released on bail and gives an undertaking
that he shall comply with such directions as may be given by the Court:
Provided also that no person shall, if the offence alleged to have been committed by him is punishable
with death, imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for seven years or more, be released on bail by the Court
under this sub-section without giving an opportunity of hearing to the Public Prosecutor.
(2) If it appears to such officer or Court at any stage of the investigation, inquiry or trial, as the case
may be, that there are not reasonable grounds for believing that the accused has committed a non-bailable
offence, but that there are sufficient grounds for further inquiry into his guilt, the accused shall, subject to
the provisions of section 492 and pending such inquiry, be released on bail, or, at the discretion of such
officer or Court, on the execution by him of a bond for his appearance as hereinafter provided.
(3) When a person accused or suspected of the commission of an offence punishable with imprisonment
which may extend to seven years or more or of an offence under Chapter VI, Chapter VII or Chapter XVII
of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 or abetment of, or conspiracy or attempt to commit, any such offence,
is released on bail under sub-section (1), the Court shall impose the conditions,--
(a) that such person shall attend in accordance with the conditions of the bond executed under this
Chapter;

(b) that such person shall not commit an offence similar to the offence of which he is accused, or
suspected, of the commission of which he is suspected; and
(c) that such person shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any
person  acquainted  with the  facts  of the  case so  as  to dissuade  him  from  disclosing  such  facts  to the
Court or to any police officer or tamper with the evidence,
and may also impose, in the interests of justice, such other conditions as it considers necessary.
(4) An officer or a Court releasing any person on bail under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), shall
record in writing his or its reasons or special reasons for so doing.
(5) Any Court which has released a person on bail under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), may, if it
considers it necessary so to do, direct that such person be arrested and commit him to custody.
(6) If, in any case triable by a Magistrate, the trial of a person accused of any non-bailable offence is
not concluded within a period of sixty days from the first date fixed for taking evidence in the case, such
person shall, if he is in custody during the whole of the said period, be released on bail to the satisfaction
of the Magistrate, unless for reasons to be recorded in writing, the Magistrate otherwise directs.
(7) If, at any time, after the conclusion of the trial of a person accused of a non-bailable offence and
before judgment is delivered, the Court is of opinion that there are reasonable grounds for believing that
the accused is not guilty of any such offence, it shall release the accused, if he is in custody, on the execution
by him of a bond for his appearance to hear judgment delivered.

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