Procedure by police upon seizure of property.
What this section does
When a police officer's seizure of property is reported to a Magistrate and the property is not produced before a Criminal Court during inquiry or trial, the Magistrate may order its disposal or delivery to the person entitled to possession. If the entitled person is unknown, the Magistrate detains the property and issues a proclamation requiring claimants to appear within six months.
AI-generated plain-language summary. For the binding statutory text, see India Code (official).
Procedure at a glance
- Key actors
- Magistrate · Police officer · Claimant
- Time limit
- Claimants must appear within six months from the date of proclamation
Derived from CrPC s.457.
Read the official text
For the binding statutory text of BNSS Section 503, refer to the Gazette of India or the India Code official website.
Why this matters
BNSS Section 503 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.