CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, 1973
BHARATIYA NAGARIK SURAKSHA SANHITA, 2023
53. Examination of accused by medical practitioner at the request of police officer
51. Examination of accused by medical practitioner at request of police officer
changed or removed in old law
changed or added in new law
Similar wording stays plain; only differences are highlighted.
CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, 1973
53. Examination of accused by medical practitioner at the request of police officer.—(1) When a person is
arrested on a charge of committing an offence of such a nature and alleged to have been committed under such
circumstances that there are reasonable grounds for believing that an examination of his person will afford evidence as to
the commission of an offence, it shall be lawful for a registered medical practitioner, acting at the request of a police
officer not below the rank of sub-inspector, and for any person acting in good faith in his aid and under his direction, to
make such an examination of the person arrested as is reasonably necessary in order to ascertain the facts which may
afford such evidence, and to use such force as is reasonably necessary for that purpose.
(2) Whenever the person of a female is to be examined under this section, the examination shall be made only
by, or under the supervision of, a female registered medical practitioner.
[Explanation.—In this section and in sections 53A and 54,—
(a) “examination” shall include the examination of blood, blood stains, semen, swabs in case of sexual
offences, sputum and sweat, hair samples and finger nail clippings by the use of modern and scientific
techniques including DNA profiling and such other tests which the registered medical practitioner thinks
necessary in a particular case;
(b) “registered medical practitioner” means a medical practitioner who possesses any medical qualification
as defined in clause (h) of section 2 of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 (102 of 1956) and whose name has
been entered in a State Medical Register.]
Legacy / repealed by BNSS India Code — CrPC 1973
BHARATIYA NAGARIK SURAKSHA SANHITA, 2023
51. Examination of accused by medical practitioner at request of police officer.—(1) When a
person is arrested on a charge of committing an offence of such a nature and alleged to have been committed
under such circumstances that there are reasonable grounds for believing that an examination of his person
will afford evidence as to the commission of an offence, it shall be lawful for a registered medical
practitioner, acting at the request of any police officer, and for any person acting in good faith in his aid
and under his direction, to make such an examination of the person arrested as is reasonably necessary in
order to ascertain the facts which may afford such evidence, and to use such force as is reasonably necessary
for that purpose.
(2) Whenever the person of a female is to be examined under this section, the examination shall be
made only by, or under the supervision of, a female registered medical practitioner.
(3) The registered medical practitioner shall, without any delay, forward the examination report to the
investigating officer.
Explanation.—In this section and sections 52 and 53,—
(a) “examination” shall include the examination of blood, blood stains, semen, swabs in case of sexual
offences, sputum and sweat, hair samples and finger nail clippings by the use of modern and scientific
techniques including DNA profiling and such other tests which the registered medical practitioner thinks
necessary in a particular case;
(b) “registered medical practitioner” means a medical practitioner who possesses any medical
qualification recognised under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 (30 of 2019) and whose name
has been entered in the National Medical Register or a State Medical Register under that Act.
Current law India Code — BNSS 2023