BNSS Section 112 — Letter of request to competent authority for investigation in a country or place outside India

CHAPTER VIII RECIPROCAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR ASSISTANCE IN CERTAIN MATTERS AND PROCEDURE FOR ATTACHMENT AND FORFEITURE OF PROPERTY

Criminal

Summary

If during a police investigation into a crime, the investigating officer or a higher-ranking officer believes that important evidence might be located in another country, a Criminal Court can send a formal request to a court or authority in that country. This request asks that authority to question any person who may know about the case, record their statement, and also ask that person or anyone else to hand over any documents or objects related to the case. The evidence collected this way must be sent back to the Indian court that made the request. The letter of request must be sent in a way that the Central Government decides. Any statement, document, or thing received through this process is treated as evidence gathered during the investigation under this law.

Official Text

(1) If, in the course of an investigation into an offence, an application is made by the investigating officer or any officer superior in rank to the investigating officer that evidence may be available in a country or place outside India, any Criminal Court may issue a letter of request to a Court or an authority in that country or place competent to deal with such request to examine orally any person supposed to be acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case and to record his statement made in the course of such examination and also to require such person or any other person to produce any document or thing which may be in his possession pertaining to the case and to forward all the evidence so taken or collected or the authenticated copies thereof or the thing so collected to the Court issuing such letter.

(2) The letter of request shall be transmitted in such manner as the Central Government may specify in this behalf.

(3) Every statement recorded or document or thing received under sub-section (1) shall be deemed to be the evidence collected during the course of investigation under this Sanhita.

Related Judgments

  • SC (2025) Vol.5 p.730 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.6 p.545 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2024) Vol.7 p.979 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
  • SC (2025) Vol.2 p.1588 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1309 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2024) Vol.12 p.335 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
  • .. Petitioner/Accused No.12 vs The State of Tamilnadu, — Madras High Court ()
  • SC (2025) Vol.11 p.291 — Supreme Court of India (2025)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

  • CrPC §166A — Letter of request to competent authority for investigation in a country or place outside India