BNSS · Section 373 · Chapter XXVII — PROVISIONS AS TO ACCUSED PERSONS OF UNSOUND MIND

Judgment of acquittal on ground of unsoundness of mind.

What this section does

When a person is acquitted on the ground of unsoundness of mind rendering them incapable of knowing the nature of the act or that it was wrong or contrary to law, the finding must specifically state whether the accused committed the act or not.

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

Procedure at a glance

Key actors: Magistrate · Court · Accused

Old-law correspondence

Derived from CrPC s.331.

Read the official text

For the binding statutory text of BNSS Section 373, refer to the Gazette of India or the India Code official website.

Why this matters

BNSS Section 373 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.