CrPC Section 339: Delivery of lunatic to care of relative or friend

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 · Chapter 25: Provisions as - accused persons of unsound mind

Repealed on 1 July 2024 and replaced by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS).

339. Delivery of lunatic to care of relative or friend.- (1) Whenever any relative or friend of any person detained under the provisions of section 330 or section 335 desires that he shall be delivered to his care and custody, the State Government may, upon the application of such relative or friend and on his giving security to the satisfaction of such State Government, that the person delivered shall


(a) be properly taken care of and prevented from doing injury to himself or to any other person;

(b) be produced for the inspection of such officer, and at such times and places, as the State Government may direct;

(c) in the case of a person detained under sub-section (2) of section 330, be produced when required before such Magistrate or Court,
order such person to be delivered to such relative or friend.

(2) If the person so delivered is accused of any offence, the trial of which has been postponed by reason of his being of unsound mind and incapable of making his defence, and the inspecting officer referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1), certifies at any time to the Magistrate or Court that such person is capable of making his defence, such Magistrate or Court shall call upon the relative or friend to whom such accused was delivered to produce him before the magistrate or Court, and, upon such production the magistrate or Court shall proceed in accordance with the provisions of section 332, and the certificate of the inspecting officer shall be receivable as evidence.

Study: explanations and related material

Now BNSS 378 (corresponding section). CrPC → BNSS converterSource: BPR&D BNSS–CrPC corresponding section table (UP Police, 2024-07-03), p19

Official reference: Ministry of Home Affairs: historical CrPC reference — source link checked: 2 October 2026.Recorded edition / snapshot date: 2024-06-30.Mobile-app reference import; the recorded snapshot date is not a fresh legal-currency guarantee. The linked government text is an independent authoritative reference, not certification that this website reproduces the same edition. The source link was checked, not every provision or subsequent amendment. Check commencement notifications, savings and jurisdiction-specific variations separately. Section 135 was restored and individually checked against the linked government PDF (pages 75–76) on 2026-10-02; this is not a verification of the whole collection. Schedules and forms are not consolidated here. Historical code retained for reference; read the repeal/savings provisions in the successor code.

This text is for reference, not legal advice. Consult the official source for the authoritative text.

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