Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XXXVI: Disposal of Property
Section 504: Procedure where no claimant appears within six months
In plain words
If no one proves a claim within six months, and the person found with it cannot show they acquired it legally, the Magistrate can place it at the State Government's disposal, to be sold as State rules provide. This order can be appealed.
A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.
Official text
(1) If no person within such period establishes his claim to such property, and if the person in whose possession such property was found is unable to show that it was legally acquired by him, the Magistrate may by order direct that such property shall be at the disposal of the State Government and may be sold by that Government and the proceeds of such sale shall be dealt with in such manner as the State Government may, by rules, provide.
(2) An appeal shall lie against any such order to the Court to which appeals ordinarily lie from convictions by the Magistrate.
Corresponding sections were matched by comparing the wording of both official texts, and for the IPC and BNS, also against a published correspondence table. Wording, punishments and structure often changed, so read both sections before relying on the match.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 12 September 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 504
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.