Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Section 501
Destruction of libellous and other matter
(1) On a conviction under section 294, section 295, or sub-sections (3) and (4) of section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Court may order the destruction of all the copies of the thing in respect of which the conviction was had, and which are in the custody of the Court or remain in the possession or power of the person convicted.
(2) The Court may, in like manner, on a conviction under section 274, section 275, section 276 or section 277 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, order the food, drink, drug or medical preparation in respect of which the conviction was had, to be destroyed.
Why this exists
Simply punishing the offender doesn't remove the harm if obscene publications, defamatory material, or dangerous adulterated substances remain in circulation. This provision lets courts eliminate the offending items themselves, preventing further harm to the public. It corresponds to section 452 area equivalents and specifically section 455 of the earlier CrPC, updated to reference the corresponding Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 offences instead of the repealed Indian Penal Code sections.