VoxJuris
Home › Acts › BNSS › Chapter V › Section 48

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter V: Arrest of Persons

Section 48: Obligation of person making arrest to inform about arrest, etc., to relative or friend

Earlier law: CrPC section 50A (Obligation of person making arrest to inform about the arrest, etc., to a nominated person)

In plain words

Whoever makes an arrest must immediately inform a relative, friend or other person nominated by the arrested person, and the district's designated police officer, of the arrest and where the person is held.

  • The arrested person must be told of this right as soon as they reach the police station.
  • A record of who was informed must be kept at the police station.
  • The Magistrate must check that these steps were followed.

A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.

Official text

(1) Every police officer or other person making any arrest under this Sanhita shall forthwith give the information regarding such arrest and place where the arrested person is being held to any of his relatives, friends or such other persons as may be disclosed or nominated by the arrested person for the purpose of giving such information and also to the designated police officer in the district.

(2) The police officer shall inform the arrested person of his rights under sub-section (1) as soon as he is brought to the police station.

(3) An entry of the fact as to who has been informed of the arrest of such person shall be made in a book to be kept in the police station in such form as the State Government may, by rules, provide.

(4) It shall be the duty of the Magistrate before whom such arrested person is produced, to satisfy himself that the requirements of sub-section (2) and sub-section (3) have been complied with in respect of such arrested person

Corresponding sections were matched by comparing the wording of both official texts, and for the IPC and BNS, also against a published correspondence table. Wording, punishments and structure often changed, so read both sections before relying on the match.

Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 12 September 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.

Supreme Court judgments citing the section 48