Confessions Caused by Inducement, Threat, Coercion or Promise
A confession is legally irrelevant (inadmissible) if it appears to the court to have been caused by any inducement, threat, coercion, or promise from a person in authority, connected with the charge, and giving the accused reasonable grounds to believe that making it would gain them an advantage or avoid harm.
- "Coercion" was explicitly added as a new ground in BSA — a deliberate strengthening compared to the old law's wording.
If you were pressured, threatened, or promised something in exchange for a confession, that confession isn't automatically usable against you — this is a real, substantive protection, not just a technicality.
Related law
How an arrest itself can be made — the surrounding procedural safeguard this evidentiary rule sits alongside
Keep exploring
Confession to a Police Officer
If you're ever asked to "just confess" directly to a police officer, know that — as a rule — that statement alone generally can't be used as your confession in court; this is a core, longstanding safeguard.
Confession by a Co-Accused in a Joint Trial
If you're facing a joint trial, understand that a co-accused's confession can be considered against you too, even though courts are cautious about relying on it alone.
This is a plain-English summary, not verbatim statutory text. Adhikar is an independent citizen-awareness platform, not a Government of India website. Always verify against the bare Act (legislative.gov.in) or a qualified advocate before relying on this for an actual legal situation.