Section 72 of CrPC : Section 72: Warrants To Whom Directed

Explanation using Example

Imagine a situation where a local court has issued a warrant for the arrest of an individual suspected of theft. The suspect is believed to be planning to flee the town within the next few hours. The police force is currently engaged in a major operation elsewhere, and no officers are immediately available to execute the warrant. Under Section 72(1) of The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the court, recognizing the urgency of the matter, directs the warrant to a nearby off-duty officer or to a responsible member of the community, such as the village headman, who is then authorized to execute the arrest warrant and prevent the suspect from escaping.

In another scenario, the same warrant is directed to three officers in different locations to ensure that the suspect can be apprehended quickly. According to Section 72(2), any one of these officers or all of them together have the authority to execute the warrant, allowing for flexibility and increasing the likelihood of a timely arrest.