Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XXVIII: Provisions As to Offences Affecting the Administration of Justice
Section 384: Procedure in certain cases of contempt
In plain words
When certain contempt offences are committed in the sight or presence of a civil, criminal or revenue court, such as refusing to produce documents, take an oath, answer or sign, or insulting or interrupting the court, the court can detain the offender and, before rising that day, after giving them a chance to show cause, fine them up to one thousand rupees, with up to one month's simple imprisonment if unpaid.
- The court records the facts, the offender's statement, the finding and the sentence.
A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.
Official text
(1) When any such offence as is described in section 210, section 213, section 214, section 215 or section 267 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) is committed in the view or presence of any Civil, Criminal, or Revenue Court, the Court may cause the offender to be detained in custody, and may, at any time before the rising of the Court on the same day, take cognizance of the offence and, after giving the offender a reasonable opportunity of showing cause why he should not be punished under this section, sentence the offender to fine not exceeding one thousand rupees, and, in default of payment of fine, to simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month, unless such fine be sooner paid.
(2) In every such case the Court shall record the fact constituting the offence, with the statement (if any) made by the offender, as well as the finding and sentence.
(3) If the offence is under section 267 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023), the record shall show the nature and stage of the judicial proceeding in which the Court interrupted or insulted was sitting, and the nature of the interruption or insult.
Corresponding sections were matched by comparing the wording of both official texts, and for the IPC and BNS, also against a published correspondence table. Wording, punishments and structure often changed, so read both sections before relying on the match.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 12 September 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 384
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.