BNSS Section 183 — Recording of confessions and statements

Summary

A District Magistrate can record a confession or statement from a person during a police investigation, even if the case is outside their usual area. This recording can be done using audio-video electronic means, and the accused person’s lawyer can be present. However, a police officer who has been given the powers of a Magistrate cannot record a confession.

Before recording a confession, the Magistrate must tell the person that they do not have to confess, and that if they do, it can be used as evidence against them. The Magistrate must also question the person to make sure the confession is given freely and voluntarily. If the person says they do not want to confess before it is recorded, the Magistrate cannot order them to be kept in police custody.

The confession must be recorded in a specific way, signed by the person, and the Magistrate must add a written note confirming that the person was told they did not have to confess and that the confession was voluntary. For statements that are not confessions, the Magistrate can record them in a way that fits the situation and can even administer an oath.

In cases of certain serious sexual or violent offences, the Magistrate must record the statement of the victim as soon as the police know about the crime. This statement should, if possible, be recorded by a woman Magistrate. If the victim is mentally or physically disabled, the Magistrate must get help from an interpreter or special educator and record the statement through audio-video electronic means, preferably using a mobile phone. Such a statement from a disabled person can be used in place of their main testimony in court, and they can still be cross-examined on it later.

Finally, the Magistrate who records the confession or statement must send it to the Magistrate who will handle the trial or inquiry.

Official Text

(1) Any Magistrate of the District in which the information about commission of any offence has been registered, may, whether or not he has jurisdiction in the case, record any confession or statement made to him in the course of an investigation under this Chapter or under any other law for the time being in force, or at any time afterwards but before the commencement of the inquiry or trial:

Provided that any confession or statement made under this sub-section may also be recorded by audio-video electronic means in the presence of the advocate of the person accused of an offence:

Provided further that no confession shall be recorded by a police officer on whom any power of a Magistrate has been conferred under any law for the time being in force.

(2) The Magistrate shall, before recording any such confession, explain to the person making it that he is not bound to make a confession and that, if he does so, it may be used as evidence against him; and the Magistrate shall not record any such confession unless, upon questioning the person making it, he has reason to believe that it is being made voluntarily.

(3) If at any time before the confession is recorded, the person appearing before the Magistrate states that he is not willing to make the confession, the Magistrate shall not authorise the detention of such person in police custody.

(4) Any such confession shall be recorded in the manner provided in section 316 for recording the examination of an accused person and shall be signed by the person making the confession; and the Magistrate shall make a memorandum at the foot of such record to the following effect:— “I have explained to (name) that he is not bound to make a confession and that, if he does so, any confession he may make may be used as evidence against him and I believe that this confession was voluntarily made. It was taken in my presence and hearing, and was read over to the person making it and admitted by him to be correct, and it contains a full and true account of the statement made by him. (Signed) A. B. Magistrate.”.

(5) Any statement (other than a confession) made under sub-section (1) shall be recorded in such manner hereinafter provided for the recording of evidence as is, in the opinion of the Magistrate, best fitted to the circumstances of the case; and the Magistrate shall have power to administer oath to the person whose statement is so recorded.

(6)

(a) In cases punishable under section 64, section 65, section 66, section 67, section 68, section 69, section 70, section 71, section 74, section 75, section 76, section 77, section 78, section 79 or section 124 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Magistrate shall record the statement of the person against whom such offence has been committed in the manner specified in sub-section (5), as soon as the commission of the offence is brought to the notice of the police:

Provided that such statement shall, as far as practicable, be recorded by a woman Magistrate and in her absence by a male Magistrate in the presence of a woman:

Provided further that in cases relating to the offences punishable with imprisonment for ten years or more or with imprisonment for life or with death, the Magistrate shall record the statement of the witness brought before him by the police officer:

Provided also that if the person making the statement is temporarily or permanently, mentally or physically disabled, the Magistrate shall take the assistance of an interpreter or a special educator in recording the statement:

Provided also that if the person making the statement is temporarily or permanently, mentally or physically disabled, the statement made by the person, with the assistance of an interpreter or a special educator, shall be recorded through audio-video electronic means preferably by mobile phone;

(b) a statement recorded under clause (a) of a person, who is temporarily or permanently, mentally or physically disabled, shall be considered a statement in lieu of examination-in-chief, as specified in section 142 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 such that the maker of the statement can be cross-examined on such statement, without the need for recording the same at the time of trial.

(7) The Magistrate recording a confession or statement under this section shall forward it to the Magistrate by whom the case is to be inquired into or tried.

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)
• .. Petitioner/Accused No.12 vs The State of Tamilnadu, — Madras High Court ()
• SC (2025) Vol.2 p.1588 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2024) Vol.12 p.335 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
• SC (2025) Vol.1 p.1469 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1309 — Supreme Court of India (2025)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• CrPC §164 — Recording of confessions and statements