BNSS · Section 280 · Chapter XXI — TRIAL OF SUMMONS-CASES BY MAGISTRATES

Withdrawal of complaint.

What this section does

At any time before a final order is passed in a summons-case, a complainant may apply to withdraw the complaint against the accused (or against any one or more of multiple accused) by satisfying the Magistrate that sufficient grounds exist. If the Magistrate permits withdrawal, the accused against whom the complaint is withdrawn shall be acquitted.

AI-generated plain-language summary. For the binding statutory text, see India Code (official).

Procedure at a glance

Key actors: Magistrate · Complainant · Accused

Old-law correspondence

Derived from CrPC s.257.

Read the official text

For the binding statutory text of BNSS Section 280, refer to the Gazette of India or the India Code official website.

Why this matters

BNSS Section 280 forms part of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita which replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 on 1 July 2024. Any new filing, FIR, charge sheet, or bail application made on or after that date should cite the new section number. References to the old act in legacy documents remain valid for matters that arose before the changeover.