Obligation of person making arrest to inform about arrest, etc., to relative or friend.
What this section does
Every person making an arrest must forthwith inform a relative, friend, or nominated person of the arrested person about the arrest and the place of detention, and also notify the designated police officer in the district. The arrested person must be told of this right upon being brought to the police station, and an entry of who was informed must be recorded in the station register. The Magistrate before whom the arrested person is produced must verify compliance with these requirements.
AI-generated plain-language summary. For the binding statutory text, see India Code (official).
Procedure at a glance
- Key actors
- Police officer · Person making arrest · Arrested person · Relative or friend of arrested person · Designated police officer · Magistrate
- Time limit
- Forthwith upon arrest; information to arrested person of rights as soon as brought to police station
Practitioner note
Introduced in CrPC by the 2005 amendment as s.50A; the Supreme Court in D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal (1997) 1 SCC 416 had earlier directed similar safeguards as part of constitutional requirements.
Derived from CrPC s.50A.
Read the official text
For the binding statutory text of BNSS Section 48, refer to the Gazette of India or the India Code official website.
Why this matters
BNSS Section 48 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.