Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 · Chapter XIII: Jurisdiction of the Criminal Courts in Inquiries and Trials
Section 181: Place of trial in case of certain offences
The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 was repealed and replaced by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 from 1 July 2024. It still applies to matters and proceedings from before that date, as the repealing law provides.
In plain words
Certain offences can also be tried in other places.
- Thuggee, dacoity and escape from custody: where committed or where the accused is found.
- Kidnapping or abduction: where the person was taken, conveyed, concealed or detained.
- Theft, extortion or robbery: where committed or where the stolen property was held by the offender or a knowing receiver.
- Criminal misappropriation or breach of trust: where committed or where the property was received, kept, or had to be returned or accounted for.
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) Any offence of being a thug, or murder committed by a thug, of dacoity, of dacoity with murder, of belonging to a gang of dacoits, or of escaping from custody, may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the accused person is found.
(2) Any offence of kidnapping or abduction of a person may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the person was kidnapped or abducted or was conveyed or concealed or detained.
(3) Any offence of theft, extortion or robbery may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the stolen property which is the subject of the offence was possessed by any person committing it or by any person who received or retained such property knowing or having reason to believe it to be stolen property.
(4) Any offence of criminal misappropriation or of criminal breach of trust may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or any part of the property which is the subject of the offence was received or retained, or was required to be returned or accounted for, by the accused person.
(5) Any offence which includes the possession of stolen property may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the stolen property was possessed by any person who received or retained it knowing or having reason to believe it to be stolen property.
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 (Legislative Department), the text of the Act as it stood before its repeal. 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 181
- Rana Nahid @ Reshma @ Sana & Anr. v. Sahidul Haq Chisti
- Sharanjit Kaur & Anr. v. State of Punjab
- Lee Kun Hee & Ors. v. State of U.P. & Ors.
- Kushal Kumar Gupta and Anr. v. Mala Gupta
- Rasiklal Dalpatram Thakkar v. State of Gujarat and Ors.
- Naresh Kavarchand Khatri v. State of Gujarat & Anr.
- Asit Bhattacharjee v. M/S. Hanuman Prasad Ojha and Ors.
- Vishwanath Gupta v. State of Uttaranchal
- Shukla v. State (Delhi Administration)