The Crime Times - Vol. 1 - Issue 1 - July, 2025

Article by Vijay Pal Dalmia, Advocate, Supreme Court of India and Delhi High Court, Partner & Head of Intellectual Property Laws Division, Vaish Associates Advocates, India

PROCESS OF TRIAL OF CRIMINAL CASES IN INDIA

* The flow chart is indicative & for general guidance only.

India has a well-established statutory, administrative and judicial framework for criminal trials. Indian Penal laws are primarily governed by 3 Acts: 

1. The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Cr.P.C.) / The Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS);
2. The Indian Penal Code, 1960 (IPC) / The Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS);
3. The Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (IEA) / The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniam, 2023 (BSA)

Cr.P.C. / BNSS is a comprehensive and exhaustive procedural law for conducting a criminal trial in India, incuding the manner for collection of evidence, examination of witnesses, interrogation of accused, arrests, safeguards and procedure to be adopted by Police and Courts, bail, process of