BNS · 2023
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
India's criminal code — what counts as an offence and how it is punished. Replaced the IPC on 1 July 2024.
Replaces: Indian Penal Code, 1860
Chapter I · PreliminaryFull text · PDF
Chapter II · Of PunishmentsFull text · PDF
- 4Punishments
- 5Commutation of sentence
- 6Fractions of terms of punishment
- 7Sentence may be (in certain cases of imprisonment) wholly or partly rigorous or simple
- 8Amount of fine, liability in default of payment of fine, etc
- 9Limit of punishment of offence made up of several offences
- 10Punishment of person guilty of one of several offences, judgment stating that it is doubtful
- 11Solitary confinement
- 12Limit of solitary confinement
- 13Enhanced punishment for certain offences after previous conviction
Chapter III · General ExceptionsFull text · PDF
- 14Act done by a person bound, or by mistake of fact believing himself bound, by law
- 15Act of Judge when acting judicially
- 16Act done pursuant to judgment or order of Court
- 17Act done by a person justified, or by mistake of fact believing himself justified, by law
- 18Accident in doing a lawful act
- 19Act likely to cause harm, but done without criminal intent, and to prevent other harm
- 20Act of a child under seven years of age
- 21Act of a child above seven and under twelve years of age of immature understanding
- 22Act of a person of unsound mind
- 23Act of a person incapable of judgment by reason of intoxication caused against his will
- 24Offence requiring a particular intent or knowledge committed by one who is intoxicated
- 25Act not intended and not known to be likely to cause death or grievous hurt, done by consent
- 26Act not intended to cause death, done by consent in good faith for person’s benefit
- 27Act done in good faith for benefit of child or person of unsound mind, by, or by consent of guardian
- 28Consent known to be given under fear or misconception
- 29Exclusion of acts which are offences independently of harm caused
- 30Act done in good faith for benefit of a person without consent
- 31Communication made in good faith
- 32Act to which a person is compelled by threats
- 33Act causing slight harm
- 34Things done in private defence
- 35Right of private defence of body and of property
- 36Right of private defence against act of a person of unsound mind, etc
- 37Acts against which there is no right of private defence
- 38When right of private defence of body extends to causing death
- 39When such right extends to causing any harm other than death
- 40Commencement and continuance of right of private defence of body
- 41When right of private defence of property extends to causing death
- 42When such right extends to causing any harm other than death
- 43Commencement and continuance of right of private defence of property
- 44Right of private defence against deadly assault when there is risk of harm to innocent person
Chapter IV · Of Abetment, Criminal Conspiracy And AttemptFull text · PDF
- 45Abetment of a thing
- 46Abettor
- 47Abetment in India of offences outside India
- 48Abetment outside India for offence in India
- 49Punishment of abetment if act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment
- 50Punishment of abetment if person abetted does act with different intention from that of abettor
- 51Liability of abettor when one act abetted and different act done
- 52Abettor when liable to cumulative punishment for act abetted and for act done
- 53Liability of abettor for an effect caused by act abetted different from that intended by
- 54Abettor present when offence is committed
- 55Abetment of offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life
- 56Abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment
- 57Abetting commission of offence by public or by more than ten persons
- 58Concealing design to commit offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life
- 59Public servant concealing design to commit offence which it is his duty to prevent
- 60Concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment
- 61Criminal conspiracy
- 62Punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment
Chapter V · Of Offences Against Woman And ChildFull text · PDF
- 63Rape
- 64Punishment for rape
- 65Punishment for rape in certain cases
- 66Punishment for causing death or resulting in persistent vegetative state of victim
- 67Sexual intercourse by husband upon his wife during separation
- 68Sexual intercourse by a person in authority
- 69Sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means, etc
- 70Gang rape
- 71Punishment for repeat offenders
- 72Disclosure of identity of victim of certain offences, etc
- 73Printing or publishing any matter relating to Court proceedings without permission
- 74Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty
- 75Sexual harassment
- 76Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe
- 77Voyeurism
- 78Stalking
- 79Word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of a woman
- 80Dowry death
- 81Cohabitation caused by man deceitfully inducing belief of lawful marriage
- 82Marrying again during lifetime of husband or wife
- 83Marriage ceremony fraudulently gone through without lawful marriage
- 84Enticing or taking away or detaining with criminal intent a married woman
- 85Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty
- 86Cruelty defined
- 87Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc
- 88Causing miscarriage
- 89Causing miscarriage without woman’s consent
- 90Death caused by act done with intent to cause miscarriage
- 91Act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause to die after birth
- 92Causing death of quick unborn child by act amounting to culpable homicide
- 93Exposure and abandonment of child under twelve years of age, by parent or person having
- 94Concealment of birth by secret disposal of dead body
- 95Hiring, employing or engaging a child to commit an offence
- 96Procuration of child
- 97Kidnapping or abducting child under ten years of age with intent to steal from its person
- 98Selling child for purposes of prostitution, etc
- 99Buying child for purposes of prostitution, etc
Chapter VI · Of Offences Affecting The Human BodyFull text · PDF
- 100Culpable homicide
- 101Murder
- 102Culpable homicide by causing death of person other than person whose death was
- 103Punishment for murder
- 104Punishment for murder by life-convict
- 105Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder
- 106Causing death by negligence
- 107Abetment of suicide of child or person of unsound mind
- 108Abetment of suicide
- 109Attempt to murder
- 110Attempt to commit culpable homicide
- 111Organised crime
- 112Petty organised crime
- 113Terrorist act
- 114Hurt
- 115Voluntarily causing hurt
- 116Grievous hurt
- 117Voluntarily causing grievous hurt
- 118Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means
- 119Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to extort property, or to constrain to an illegal
- 120Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to extort confession, or to compel restoration of
- 121Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty
- 122Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt on provocation
- 123Causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence
- 124Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid, etc
- 125Act endangering life or personal safety of others
- 126Wrongful restraint
- 127Wrongful confinement
- 128Force
- 129Criminal force
- 130Assault
- 131Punishment for assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation
- 132Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty
- 133Assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person, otherwise than on grave
- 134Assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person
- 135Assault or criminal force in attempt to wrongfully confine a person
- 136Assault or criminal force on grave provocation
- 137Kidnapping
- 138Abduction
- 139Kidnapping or maiming a child for purposes of begging
- 140Kidnapping or abducting in order to murder or for ransom, etc
- 141Importation of girl or boy from foreign country
- 142Wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, kidnapped or abducted person
- 143Trafficking of person
- 144Exploitation of a trafficked person
- 145Habitual dealing in slaves
- 146Unlawful compulsory labour
Chapter VII · Of Offences Against The StateFull text · PDF
- 147Waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against Government of
- 148Conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 147
- 149Collecting arms, etc., with intention of waging war against Government of India
- 150Concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war
- 151Assaulting President, Governor, etc., with intent to compel or restrain exercise of any
- 152Act endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India
- 153Waging war against Government of any foreign State at peace with Government of
- 154Committing depredation on territories of foreign State at peace with Government of
- 155Receiving property taken by war or depredation mentioned in sections 153 and 154
- 156Public servant voluntarily allowing prisoner of State or war to escape
- 157Public servant negligently suffering such prisoner to escape
- 158Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner
Chapter VIII · Of Offences Relating To The Army, Navy And Air ForceFull text · PDF
- 159Abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty
- 160Abetment of mutiny, if mutiny is committed in consequence thereof
- 161Abetment of assault by soldier, sailor or airman on his superior officer, when in execution
- 162Abetment of such assault, if assault committed
- 163Abetment of desertion of soldier, sailor or airman
- 164Harbouring deserter
- 165Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master
- 166Abetment of act of insubordination by soldier, sailor or airman
- 167Persons subject to certain Acts
- 168Wearing garb or carrying token used by soldier, sailor or airman
Chapter IX · Of Offences Relating To ElectionsFull text · PDF
- 169Candidate, electoral right defined
- 170Bribery
- 171Undue influence at elections
- 172Personation at elections
- 173Punishment for bribery
- 174Punishment for undue influence or personation at an election
- 175False statement in connection with an election
- 176Illegal payments in connection with an election
- 177Failure to keep election accounts
Chapter X · Of Offences Relating To Coin, Currency-Notes, Bank-Notes, And Government StampsFull text · PDF
- 178Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes
- 179Using as genuine, forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-
- 180Possession of forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-
- 181Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin,
- 182Making or using documents resembling currency-notes or bank-notes
- 183Effacing writing from substance bearing Government stamp, or removing from document
- 184Using Government stamp known to have been before used
- 185Erasure of mark denoting that stamp has been used
- 186Prohibition of fictitious stamps
- 187Person employed in mint causing coin to be of different weight or composition from that
- 188Unlawfully taking coining instrument from mint
Chapter XI · Of Offences Against The Public TranquillityFull text · PDF
- 189Unlawful assembly
- 190Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of
- 191Rioting
- 192Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot-if rioting be committed; if not
- 193Liability of owner, occupier, etc., of land on which an unlawful assembly or riot takes
- 194Affray
- 195Assaulting or obstructing public servant when suppressing riot, etc
- 196Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth,
- 197Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration
Chapter XII · Of Offences By Or Relating To Public ServantsFull text · PDF
- 198Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person
- 199Public servant disobeying direction under law
- 200Punishment for non-treatment of victim
- 201Public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury
- 202Public servant unlawfully engaging in trade
- 203Public servant unlawfully buying or bidding for property
- 204Personating a public servant
- 205Wearing garb or carrying token used by public servant with fraudulent intent
Chapter XIII · Of Contempts Of The Lawful Authority Of Public ServantsFull text · PDF
- 206Absconding to avoid service of summons or other proceeding
- 207Preventing service of summons or other proceeding, or preventing publication thereof
- 208Non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant
- 209Non-appearance in response to a proclamation under section 84 of Bharatiya Nagarik
- 210Omission to produce document or electronic record to public servant by person legally
- 211Omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to give
- 212Furnishing false information
- 213Refusing oath or affirmation when duly required by public servant to make it
- 214Refusing to answer public servant authorised to question
- 215Refusing to sign statement
- 216False statement on oath or affirmation to public servant or person authorised to
- 217False information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to injury of
- 218Resistance to taking of property by lawful authority of a public servant
- 219Obstructing sale of property offered for sale by authority of public servant
- 220Illegal purchase or bid for property offered for sale by authority of public servant
- 221Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions
- 222Omission to assist public servant when bound by law to give assistance
- 223Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant
- 224Threat of injury to public servant
- 225Threat of injury to induce person to refrain from applying for protection to public
- 226Attempt to commit suicide to compel or restrain exercise of lawful power
Chapter XIV · Of False Evidence And Offences Against Public JusticeFull text · PDF
- 227Giving false evidence
- 228Fabricating false evidence
- 229Punishment for false evidence
- 230Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of capital offence
- 231Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of offence punishable
- 232Threatening any person to give false evidence
- 233Using evidence known to be false
- 234Issuing or signing false certificate
- 235Using as true a certificate known to be false
- 236False statement made in declaration which is by law receivable as evidence
- 237Using as true such declaration knowing it to be false
- 238Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen
- 239Intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform
- 240Giving false information respecting an offence committed
- 241Destruction of document or electronic record to prevent its production as evidence
- 242False personation for purpose of act or proceeding in suit or prosecution
- 243Fraudulent removal or concealment of property to prevent its seizure as forfeited or in
- 244Fraudulent claim to property to prevent its seizure as forfeited or in execution
- 245Fraudulently suffering decree for sum not due
- 246Dishonestly making false claim in Court
- 247Fraudulently obtaining decree for sum not due
- 248False charge of offence made with intent to injure
- 249Harbouring offender
- 250Taking gift, etc., to screen an offender from punishment
- 251Offering gift or restoration of property in consideration of screening offender
- 252Taking gift to help to recover stolen property, etc
- 253Harbouring offender who has escaped from custody or whose apprehension has been
- 254Penalty for harbouring robbers or dacoits
- 255Public servant disobeying direction of law with intent to save person from punishment or
- 256Public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save person from
- 257Public servant in judicial proceeding corruptly making report, etc., contrary to law
- 258Commitment for trial or confinement by person having authority who knows that he is
- 259Intentional omission to apprehend on part of public servant bound to apprehend
- 260Intentional omission to apprehend on part of public servant bound to apprehend person
- 261Escape from confinement or custody negligently suffered by public servant
- 262Resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension
- 263Resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension of another person
- 264Omission to apprehend, or sufferance of escape, on part of public servant, in cases not
- 265Resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension or escape or rescue in cases not otherwise
- 266Violation of condition of remission of punishment
- 267Intentional insult or interruption to public servant sitting in judicial proceeding
- 268Personation of assessor
- 269Failure by person released on bail bond or bond to appear in Court
Chapter XV · Of Offences Affecting The Public Health, Safety, Convenience, Decency And MoralsFull text · PDF
- 270Public nuisance
- 271Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life
- 272Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life
- 273Disobedience to quarantine rule
- 274Adulteration of food or drink intended for sale
- 275Sale of noxious food or drink
- 276Adulteration of drugs
- 277Sale of adulterated drugs
- 278Sale of drug as a different drug or preparation
- 279Fouling water of public spring or reservoir
- 280Making atmosphere noxious to health
- 281Rash driving or riding on a public way
- 282Rash navigation of vessel
- 283Exhibition of false light, mark or buoy
- 284Conveying person by water for hire in unsafe or overloaded vessel
- 285Danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation
- 286Negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance
- 287Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter
- 288Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance
- 289Negligent conduct with respect to machinery
- 290Negligent conduct with respect to pulling down, repairing or constructing buildings, etc
- 291Negligent conduct with respect to animal
- 292Punishment for public nuisance in cases not otherwise provided for
- 293Continuance of nuisance after injunction to discontinue
- 294Sale, etc., of obscene books, etc
- 295Sale, etc., of obscene objects to child
- 296Obscene acts and songs
- 297Keeping lottery office
Chapter XVI · Of Offences Relating To ReligionFull text · PDF
- 298Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult religion of any class
- 299Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by
- 300Disturbing religious assembly
- 301Trespassing on burial places, etc
- 302Uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings of any person
Chapter XVII · Of Offences Against PropertyFull text · PDF
- 303Theft
- 304Snatching
- 305Theft in a dwelling house, or means of transportation or place of worship, etc
- 306Theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master
- 307Theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to committing
- 308Extortion
- 309Robbery
- 310Dacoity
- 311Robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt
- 312Attempt to commit robbery or dacoity when armed with deadly weapon
- 313Punishment for belonging to gang of robbers, etc
- 314Dishonest misappropriation of property
- 315Dishonest misappropriation of property possessed by deceased person at the time of his
- 316Criminal breach of trust
- 317Stolen property
- 318Cheating
- 319Cheating by personation
- 320Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property to prevent distribution
- 321Dishonestly or fraudulently preventing debt being available for creditors
- 322Dishonest or fraudulent execution of deed of transfer containing false statement of
- 323Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property
- 324Mischief
- 325Mischief by killing or maiming animal
- 326Mischief by injury, inundation, fire or explosive substance, etc
- 327Mischief with intent to destroy or make unsafe a rail, aircraft, decked vessel or one of
- 328Punishment for intentionally running vessel aground or ashore with intent to commit
- 329Criminal trespass and house-trespass
- 330House-trespass and house-breaking
- 331Punishment for house-trespass or house-breaking
- 332House-trespass in order to commit offence
- 333House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint
- 334Dishonestly breaking open receptacle containing property
Chapter XVIII · Of Offences Relating To Documents And To Property MarksFull text · PDF
- 335Making a false document
- 336Forgery
- 337Forgery of record of Court or of public register, etc
- 338Forgery of valuable security, will, etc
- 339Having possession of document described in section 337 or section 338, knowing it to be
- 340Forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine
- 341Making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc., with intent to commit forgery punishable under
- 342Counterfeiting device or mark used for authenticating documents described in section 338,
- 343Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable
- 344Falsification of accounts
- 345Property mark
- 346Tampering with property mark with intent to cause injury
- 347Counterfeiting a property mark
- 348Making or possession of any instrument for counterfeiting a property mark
- 349Selling goods marked with a counterfeit property mark
- 350Making a false mark upon any receptacle containing goods
Chapter XIX · Of Criminal Intimidation, Insult, Annoyance, DefamationFull text · PDF
- 351Criminal intimidation
- 352Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace
- 353Statements conducing to public mischief
- 354Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine
- 355Misconduct in public by a drunken person
- 356Defamation
- 357Breach of contract to attend on and supply wants of helpless person