Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023
🔹 Section 173 – Submission of Investigation Report by Police
🧾 What is Section 173 about?
This section deals with the procedure the police must follow after completing the investigation of a case.
⚖️ Key Points:
Investigation Completion:
When the police finish their investigation of a crime, they must prepare a report on the findings.
Submission to Magistrate:
The police have to submit this investigation report to the Magistrate who ordered or is supervising the investigation.
Contents of the Report:
The report must include:
Details of the evidence collected.
Statements of witnesses.
The results of the investigation.
Police opinion on whether a case is made out or not.
No Delay:
The report should be submitted without unnecessary delay.
🔍 Purpose of Section 173:
To ensure that the Magistrate receives complete information about the investigation.
To enable the Magistrate to decide the next steps in the case (e.g., whether to proceed with prosecution or discharge the accused).
To maintain transparency and accountability in the investigation process.
⚙️ Process Flow:
Police investigate a case.
They gather evidence and record witness statements.
They prepare a final report (also called the charge sheet or closure report).
Police submit this report to the Magistrate.
Magistrate reviews the report and decides:
Whether to take cognizance of the offence and proceed with trial.
Or to close the case if there is insufficient evidence.
📌 Additional Notes:
If the police find no sufficient evidence, they submit a closure report (sometimes called a “final report” or “non-cognizable report”).
The Magistrate can then examine the report and decide if further investigation is needed or if the case can be closed.
If the Magistrate rejects the closure report, the investigation may continue.
📝 Summary Table:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Police complete investigation. |
| 2 | Police prepare investigation report. |
| 3 | Submit report to Magistrate promptly. |
| 4 | Magistrate reviews report and decides next action. |
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