Section 299 BNSS: Statements of Accused Not to Be Used
Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 protects statements or facts stated by an accused in an application for plea bargaining under Section 290 from being used for any purpose outside the plea bargaining chapter.
Text of Section 299 BNSS
299. Statements of accused not to be used. - Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force, the statements or facts stated by an accused in an application for plea bargaining filed under section 290 shall not be used for any other purpose except for the purpose of this Chapter.
Meaning of Section 299
Section 299 is part of Chapter XXIII of the BNSS dealing with plea bargaining. Its purpose is to confine the use of statements or facts disclosed by an accused in a plea bargaining application to the plea bargaining process itself.
The provision begins with the words "Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force". This is a non-obstante clause. In the context of Section 299, it gives overriding effect to the restriction created by the section: material stated by the accused in the application under Section 290 BNSS cannot be diverted to another purpose outside Chapter XXIII.
How Section 299 Works with Section 290
Section 290 BNSS provides for an application for plea bargaining. Section 299 then places a statutory limitation on the use of statements or facts stated by the accused in that application. Read together, the provisions support the plea bargaining procedure while protecting the accused against use of those disclosures for an unrelated purpose.
Scope of the Protection
- The protection applies to statements or facts stated by an accused in an application for plea bargaining filed under Section 290.
- The protected material may be used for the purposes of Chapter XXIII relating to plea bargaining.
- The section prohibits use of that material for any other purpose.
- The opening non-obstante clause indicates that this restriction operates despite anything inconsistent in any other law for the time being in force.
Chapter XXIII: Plea Bargaining
Section 299 forms part of the statutory sequence governing plea bargaining under the BNSS. The surrounding provisions deal with the application for plea bargaining, mutually satisfactory disposition, disposal of the case, judgment, finality, powers of the Court, set-off of detention, savings and the non-application of the chapter in specified cases.
Official Legal Sources
The official text and section-wise structure of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 are available through India Code. The Ministry of Home Affairs also publishes the new criminal laws and the commencement notification bringing the BNSS into force from July 1, 2024.
Related BNSS Sections
- Section 291 - Guidelines for mutually satisfactory disposition
- Section 292 - Report of mutually satisfactory disposition to be submitted before Court
- Section 293 - Disposal of case
- Section 294 - Judgment of Court
- Section 295 - Finality of judgment
- Section 296 - Power of Court in plea bargaining
- Section 297 - Period of detention undergone by accused to be set off against sentence of imprisonment
- Section 298 - Savings
- Section 299 - Statements of accused not to be used
- Section 300 - Non-application of Chapter
This page provides the statutory text with a general explanatory overview. For a case-specific issue, refer to the current official text, applicable rules, notifications and judicial decisions.