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The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898

( ACT NO. V OF 1898 )

অধ্যায় এর নাম XLIII

OF THE DISPOSAL OF PROPERTY

Order for custody and disposal of property pending trial in certain cases
1[516A. When any property regarding which any offence appears to have been committed, or which appears to have been used for the commission of any offence, is produced before any Criminal Court during any inquiry or trial, the Court may make such order as it thinks fit for the proper custody of such property pending the conclusion of the inquiry or trial, and, if the property is subject to speedy or natural decay, may, after recording such evidence as it thinks necessary, order it to be sold or otherwise disposed of.]
Order for disposal of property regarding which offence committed
517.(1) When an inquiry or a trial in any Criminal Court is concluded, the Court may make such order as it thinks fit for the disposal by destruction, confiscation, or delivery to any person claiming to be entitled to possession thereof or otherwise of any property or document produced before it or in its custody or regarding which any offence appears to have been committed, or which has been used for the commission of any offence.
 
 
 
 
(2) When High Court Division or a Court of Session makes such order and cannot through its own officers conveniently deliver the property to the person entitled thereto, such Court may direct that the order be carried into effect by the 2[Chief Metropolitan Magistrate or] District Magistrate.
 
 
 
 
(3) When an order is made under this section such order shall not, except where the property is livestock or subject to speedy and natural decay, and save as provided by sub-section (4), be carried out for one month, or, when an appeal is presented, until such appeal has been disposed of.
 
 
 
 
(4) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit any Court from delivering any property under the provisions of sub-section (1) to any person claiming to be entitled to the possession thereof, on his executing a bond with or without sureties to the satisfaction of the Court, engaging to restore such property to the Court if the order made under this section is modified or set aside on appeal.
 
 
 
 
Explanation- In this section the term "property" includes in the case of property regarding which an offence appears to have been committed, not only such property as has been originally in the possession or under the control of any party, but also any property into or for which the same may have been converted or exchanged, and anything acquired by such conversion or exchange, whether immediately or otherwise.
Order may take form of reference to District 3[***] Magistrate.
518. In lieu of itself passing an order under section 517, the Court may direct the property to be delivered to the 4[District Magistrate], who shall in such cases deal with it as if it had been seized by the police and the seizure had been reported to him in the manner hereinafter mentioned.
Payment to innocent purchaser of money found on accused
519. When any person is convicted of any offence which includes, or amounts to theft or receiving stolen property, and it is proved that any other person has bought the stolen property from him without knowing, or having reason to believe, that the same was stolen, and that any money has on his arrest been taken out of the possession of the convicted person, the Court may, on the application of such purchaser and on the restitution of the stolen property to the person entitled to the possession thereof, order that out of such money a sum not exceeding the price paid by such purchaser be delivered to him.
Stay of order under sections 517, 518 or 519
520. Any Court of appeal, confirmation, reference or revision may direct any order under section 517, section 518 or section 519, passed by a Court subordinate thereto, to be stayed pending consideration by the former Court, and may modify, alter or annul such order and make any further orders that may be just.
Destruction of libelous and other matter
521.(1) On a conviction under the Penal Code, section 292, section 293, section 501 or section 502, the Court may order the destruction of all the copies of the thing in respect of which the conviction was had, and which are in the custody of the Court or remain in the possession or power of the person convicted.
 
 
 
 
(2) The Court may, in like manner, on a conviction under the Penal Code, section 272, section 273, section 274 or section 275, order the food, drink, drug or medical preparation in respect of which the conviction was had to be destroyed.
Power to restore possession of immovable property
522.(1) Whenever a person is convicted of an offence attended by criminal force or show of force or by criminal intimidation and it appears to the Court that by such force or show of force or by criminal intimidation any person has been dispossessed of any immovable property, the Court may, if it thinks fit, when convicting such person or at any time within one month from the date of the conviction order the person dispossessed to be restored to the possession of the same.
 
 
 
 
(2) No such order shall prejudice any right or interest to or in such immovable property which any person may be able to establish in a civil suit.
 
 
 
 
(3) An order under this section may be made by any Court of appeal, confirmation, reference or revision.
Procedure by police upon seizure of property taken under section 51 or stolen
523.(1) The seizure by any police-officer of property taken under section 51, or alleged or suspected to have been stolen, or found under circumstances which create suspicion of the commission of any offence, shall be forthwith reported to a Magistrate, who shall make such order as he thinks fit respecting the disposal of such property or the delivery of such property to the person entitled to the possession thereof, or, if such person cannot be ascertained, respecting the custody and production of such property.
Procedure where owner of property seized unknown
(2) If the person so entitled is known, the Magistrate may order the property to be delivered to him on such conditions (if any) as the Magistrate thinks fit. If such person is unknown, the Magistrate may detain it and shall, in such case, issue a Proclamation specifying the articles of which such property consists, and requiring any person who may have a claim thereto, to appear before him and establish his claim within 5[one month] from the date of such proclamation.
Procedure where no claimant appears within six months
524.(1) If no person within such period establishes his claim to such property, and if the person in whose possession such property was found, is unable to show that it was legally acquired by him, such property shall be at the disposal of the Government, and may be sold under the orders of the 6[ Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Chief Judicial Magistrate], or of a Magistrate of the first class empowered by the Government in this behalf.
 
 
(2) In the case of every order passed under this section, an appeal shall lie to the Court to which appeals against sentences of the Court passing such order would lie.
Power to sell perishable property
525. If the person entitled to the possession of such property is unknown or absent and the property is subject to speedy and natural decay, or if the Magistrate to whom its seizure is reported is of opinion that its sale would be for the benefit of the owner, or that the value of such property is less than ten taka the Magistrate may at any time direct it to be sold; and the provisions of sections 523 and 524 shall, as nearly as may be practicable, apply to the net proceeds of such sale.
 
 
 
 

  • 1
    Section 516A was inserted by the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 1923 (Act No. XVIII of 1923)
  • 2
    The words "Chief Metropolitan Magistrate or" were inserted by the Schedule of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance, 1976 (Ordinance No. LXXXVI of 1976)
  • 3
    The words “sub-divisional” were omitted by section 92(a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2009 (Act No. XXXII of 2009) (with effect from 1st November, 2007).
  • 4
    The words “District Magistrate” were substituted for the words and comma “Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, District Magistrate or to a Sub-divisional Magistrate” by section 92(b) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2009 (Act No. XXXII of 2009) (with effect from 1st November, 2007).
  • 5
    The words "one month" were substituted for the words "six months" by the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Order, 1973 (President's Order No. I of 1973), Article 2
  • 6
    The words and comma “Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Chief Judicial Magistrate” were substituted for the words and commas “Metropolitan Magistrate, District Magistrate, or Sub-divisional Magistrate” by section 93 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2009 (Act No. XXXII of 2009) (with effect from 1st November, 2007).
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