Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Section 505
Power to sell perishable property
If the person entitled to the possession of such property is unknown or absent and the property is subject to speedy and natural decay, or if the Magistrate to whom its seizure is reported is of opinion that its sale would be for the benefit of the owner, or that the value of such property is less than ten thousand rupees, the Magistrate may at any time direct it to be sold; and the provisions of sections 503 and 504 shall, as nearly as may be practicable, apply to the net proceeds of such sale.
Why this exists
Waiting through the full claim process makes no sense for property that will spoil, or for low-value items where storage costs might exceed their worth. This provision lets Magistrates act pragmatically, converting such property to cash quickly while still preserving the underlying claims process for the money itself. It corresponds to section 459 of the earlier CrPC, with the monetary threshold updated for the BNSS.