Under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, the period of limitation shall commence

Section 515(1)(a) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (formerly section 469(1)(a) CrPC) sets the ordinary starting point at the date of the offence. Its alternatives delay the start to the first relevant knowledge of the offence or the offender’s identity in the specified unknown-offence/unknown-offender situations, and the starting day is excluded. Filing the complaint and taking cognizance are different issues: the Explanation to section 514 makes the date of filing the complaint under section 223 or recording information under section 173 the relevant date for computing the limitation bar, which differs from the commencement trigger.