Section 169 BNSS: Information of design to commit cognizable offences (Formerly Section 150 CrPC)

Section 169 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023: Information of design to commit cognizable offences

Official Bare Act Text

Override / Mandate Mens Rea (Intent) Actus Reus (Conduct) Punishment Limitation Monetary

Every police officer receiving information of a design to commit any cognizable offence shall communicate such information to the police officer to whom he is subordinate, and to any other officer whose duty it is to prevent or take cognizance of the commission of any such offence.

Statutory Defined Terms in this Section: (Click any term for official legal definition)

Cognizable Offence Sec 2(1)(c)

Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Section 169

Section 169 requires every police officer receiving information of a design to commit any cognizable offence to communicate such information to the police officer to whom they are subordinate and to any other officer whose duty it is to prevent the offence.

Information of Criminal Design: Intelligence or tip-off regarding a planned cognizable offence.
Mandatory Duty to Transmit: Immediate communication up the chain of command and to concerned stations.
Intelligence Networking: Prevents institutional failure and ensures timely deployment of preventive forces.

Key Landmark Precedents:

Lalita Kumari v. Govt. of U.P. (2014) 2 SCC 1: The Constitution Bench observed that police reporting duties under Chapter XI ensure rapid intelligence flow to suppress impending violent crimes.
State of Bihar v. J.A.C. Saldanha (1980) 1 SCC 554: Reaffirmed the hierarchical communication duty across police departments.

Courtroom Practice & Strategic Litigation Guidance:

Call for the intelligence log and wireless messages exchanged under Section 169. If police claim they acted on 'secret intelligence' but no GD entry or transmission to superior officers exists, the raid is suspect.