Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
An Act to consolidate and amend the provisions relating to offences and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Chapter I: Preliminary
- 1 Short title, commencement and application
- 2 Definitions 1 judgment
- 3 General explanations 2 judgments
Chapter II: Of Punishments
- 4 Punishments 1 judgment
- 5 Commutation of sentence
- 6 Fractions of terms of punishment
- 7 Sentence may be (in certain cases of imprisonment) wholly or partly rigorous or simple
- 8 Amount of fine, liability in default of payment of fine, etc 1 judgment
- 9 Limit of punishment of offence made up of several offences
- 10 Punishment of person guilty of one of several offences, judgment stating that it is doubtful of which
- 11 Solitary confinement
- 12 Limit of solitary confinement
- 13 Enhanced punishment for certain offences after previous conviction
Chapter III: General Exceptions
- 14 Act done by a person bound, or by mistake of fact believing himself bound, by law
- 15 Act of Judge when acting judicially
- 16 Act done pursuant to judgment or order of Court
- 17 Act done by a person justified, or by mistake of fact believing himself justified, by law
- 18 Accident in doing a lawful act
- 19 Act likely to cause harm, but done without criminal intent, and to prevent other harm
- 20 Act of a child under seven years of age
- 21 Act of a child above seven and under twelve years of age of immature understanding
- 22 Act of a person of unsound mind
- 23 Act of a person incapable of judgment by reason of intoxication caused against his will
- 24 Offence requiring a particular intent or knowledge committed by one who is intoxicated
- 25 Act not intended and not known to be likely to cause death or grievous hurt, done by consent
- 26 Act not intended to cause death, done by consent in good faith for person's benefit
- 27 Act done in good faith for benefit of child or person of unsound mind, by, or by consent of guardian
- 28 Consent known to be given under fear or misconception
- 29 Exclusion of acts which are offences independently of harm caused
- 30 Act done in good faith for benefit of a person without consent
- 31 Communication made in good faith
- 32 Act to which a person is compelled by threats
- 33 Act causing slight harm
Of right of private defence
- 34 Things done in private defence
- 35 Right of private defence of body and of property
- 36 Right of private defence against act of a person of unsound mind, etc
- 37 Acts against which there is no right of private defence
- 38 When right of private defence of body extends to causing death
- 39 When such right extends to causing any harm other than death
- 40 Commencement and continuance of right of private defence of body
- 41 When right of private defence of property extends to causing death
- 42 When such right extends to causing any harm other than death
- 43 Commencement and continuance of right of private defence of property
- 44 Right of private defence against deadly assault when there is risk of harm to innocent person
Chapter IV: Of Abetment, Criminal Conspiracy and Attempt
- 45 Abetment of a thing 2 judgments
- 46 Abettor
- 47 Abetment in India of offences outside India
- 48 Abetment outside India for offence in India
- 49 Punishment of abetment if act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment
- 50 Punishment of abetment if person abetted does act with different intention from that of abettor
- 51 Liability of abettor when one act abetted and different act done
- 52 Abettor when liable to cumulative punishment for act abetted and for act done
- 53 Liability of abettor for an effect caused by act abetted different from that intended by abettor
- 54 Abettor present when offence is committed
- 55 Abetment of offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life
- 56 Abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment 1 judgment
- 57 Abetting commission of offence by public or by more than ten persons 1 judgment
- 58 Concealing design to commit offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life
- 59 Public servant concealing design to commit offence which it is his duty to prevent 1 judgment
- 60 Concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment 1 judgment
Of criminal conspiracy
- 61 Criminal conspiracy 3 judgments
Of attempt
Chapter V: Of Offences against Woman and Child
Of sexual offences
- 63 Rape 1 judgment
- 64 Punishment for rape
- 65 Punishment for rape in certain cases
- 66 Punishment for causing death or resulting in persistent vegetative state of victim
- 67 Sexual intercourse by husband upon his wife during separation
- 68 Sexual intercourse by a person in authority
- 69 Sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means, etc
- 70 Gang rape 1 judgment
- 71 Punishment for repeat offenders 1 judgment
- 72 Disclosure of identity of victim of certain offences, etc
- 73 Printing or publishing any matter relating to Court proceedings without permission
Of criminal force and assault against woman
- 74 Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty
- 75 Sexual harassment
- 76 Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe 1 judgment
- 77 Voyeurism
- 78 Stalking
- 79 Word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of a woman
Of offences relating to marriage
- 80 Dowry death
- 81 Cohabitation caused by man deceitfully inducing belief of lawful marriage
- 82 Marrying again during lifetime of husband or wife
- 83 Marriage ceremony fraudulently gone through without lawful marriage
- 84 Enticing or taking away or detaining with criminal intent a married woman 1 judgment
- 85 Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty
- 86 Cruelty defined
- 87 Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc
- 88 Causing miscarriage
- 89 Causing miscarriage without woman's consent
- 90 Death caused by act done with intent to cause miscarriage
- 91 Act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause to die after birth
- 92 Causing death of quick unborn child by act amounting to culpable homicide
Of offences against child
- 93 Exposure and abandonment of child under twelve years of age, by parent or person having care of it
- 94 Concealment of birth by secret disposal of dead body
- 95 Hiring, employing or engaging a child to commit an offence
- 96 Procuration of child
- 97 Kidnapping or abducting child under ten years of age with intent to steal from its person
- 98 Selling child for purposes of prostitution, etc
- 99 Buying child for purposes of prostitution, etc
Chapter VI: Of Offences Affecting the Human Body
Of offences affecting life
- 100 Culpable homicide
- 101 Murder
- 102 Culpable homicide by causing death of person other than person whose death was intended
- 103 Punishment for murder 1 judgment
- 104 Punishment for murder by life-convict
- 105 Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder
- 106 Causing death by negligence
- 107 Abetment of suicide of child or person of unsound mind
- 108 Abetment of suicide 1 judgment
- 109 Attempt to murder 1 judgment
- 110 Attempt to commit culpable homicide
- 111 Organised crime
- 112 Petty organised crime
- 113 Terrorist act
Of hurt
- 114 Hurt
- 115 Voluntarily causing hurt 2 judgments
- 116 Grievous hurt
- 117 Voluntarily causing grievous hurt 1 judgment
- 118 Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means 1 judgment
- 119 Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to extort property, or to constrain to an illegal act
- 120 Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to extort confession, or to compel restoration of property
- 121 Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty 1 judgment
- 122 Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt on provocation
- 123 Causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence
- 124 Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid, etc 1 judgment
- 125 Act endangering life or personal safety of others
Of wrongful restraint and wrongful confinement
Of criminal force and assault
- 128 Force
- 129 Criminal force
- 130 Assault
- 131 Punishment for assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation
- 132 Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty 1 judgment
- 133 Assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person, otherwise than on grave provocation
- 134 Assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person
- 135 Assault or criminal force in attempt to wrongfully confine a person
- 136 Assault or criminal force on grave provocation
Of kidnapping, abduction, slavery and forced labour
- 137 Kidnapping
- 138 Abduction
- 139 Kidnapping or maiming a child for purposes of begging
- 140 Kidnapping or abducting in order to murder or for ransom, etc
- 141 Importation of girl or boy from foreign country
- 142 Wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, kidnapped or abducted person
- 143 Trafficking of person 1 judgment
- 144 Exploitation of a trafficked person 1 judgment
- 145 Habitual dealing in slaves
- 146 Unlawful compulsory labour
Chapter VII: Of Offences against the State
- 147 Waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against Government of India
- 148 Conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 147
- 149 Collecting arms, etc., with intention of waging war against Government of India
- 150 Concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war
- 151 Assaulting President, Governor, etc., with intent to compel or restrain exercise of any lawful power
- 152 Act endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India
- 153 Waging war against Government of any foreign State at peace with Government of India
- 154 Committing depredation on territories of foreign State at peace with Government of India
- 155 Receiving property taken by war or depredation mentioned in sections 153 and 154
- 156 Public servant voluntarily allowing prisoner of State or war to escape
- 157 Public servant negligently suffering such prisoner to escape
- 158 Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner
Chapter VIII: Of Offences Relating to the Army, Navy and Air Force
- 159 Abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty
- 160 Abetment of mutiny, if mutiny is committed in consequence thereof
- 161 Abetment of assault by soldier, sailor or airman on his superior officer, when in execution of his office
- 162 Abetment of such assault, if assault committed
- 163 Abetment of desertion of soldier, sailor or airman
- 164 Harbouring deserter
- 165 Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master
- 166 Abetment of act of insubordination by soldier, sailor or airman
- 167 Persons subject to certain Acts
- 168 Wearing garb or carrying token used by soldier, sailor or airman
Chapter IX: Of Offences Relating to Elections
- 169 Candidate, electoral right defined
- 170 Bribery
- 171 Undue influence at elections
- 172 Personation at elections
- 173 Punishment for bribery
- 174 Punishment for undue influence or personation at an election
- 175 False statement in connection with an election
- 176 Illegal payments in connection with an election
- 177 Failure to keep election accounts
Chapter X: Of Offences Relating to Coin, Currency-Notes, Bank-Notes, and Government Stamps
- 178 Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes
- 179 Using as genuine, forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes
- 180 Possession of forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes
- 181 Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes
- 182 Making or using documents resembling currency-notes or bank-notes
- 183 Effacing writing from substance bearing Government stamp, or removing from document a stamp used for it, with intent to cause loss to Government
- 184 Using Government stamp known to have been before used
- 185 Erasure of mark denoting that stamp has been used
- 186 Prohibition of fictitious stamps
- 187 Person employed in mint causing coin to be of different weight or composition from that fixed by law
- 188 Unlawfully taking coining instrument from mint
Chapter XI: Of Offences against the Public Tranquillity
- 189 Unlawful assembly 1 judgment
- 190 Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object 2 judgments
- 191 Rioting 2 judgments
- 192 Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot-if rioting be committed; if not committed
- 193 Liability of owner, occupier, etc., of land on which an unlawful assembly or riot takes place
- 194 Affray
- 195 Assaulting or obstructing public servant when suppressing riot, etc
- 196 Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony 1 judgment
- 197 Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration 1 judgment
Chapter XII: Of Offences by or Relating to Public Servants
- 198 Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person 1 judgment
- 199 Public servant disobeying direction under law
- 200 Punishment for non-treatment of victim
- 201 Public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury
- 202 Public servant unlawfully engaging in trade
- 203 Public servant unlawfully buying or bidding for property
- 204 Personating a public servant
- 205 Wearing garb or carrying token used by public servant with fraudulent intent
Chapter XIII: Of Contempts of the Lawful Authority of Public Servants
- 206 Absconding to avoid service of summons or other proceeding
- 207 Preventing service of summons or other proceeding, or preventing publication thereof
- 208 Non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant
- 209 Non-appearance in response to a proclamation under section 84 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
- 210 Omission to produce document or electronic record to public servant by person legally bound to produce it
- 211 Omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to give it
- 212 Furnishing false information
- 213 Refusing oath or affirmation when duly required by public servant to make it
- 214 Refusing to answer public servant authorised to question
- 215 Refusing to sign statement
- 216 False statement on oath or affirmation to public servant or person authorised to administer an oath or affirmation
- 217 False information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to injury of another person
- 218 Resistance to taking of property by lawful authority of a public servant
- 219 Obstructing sale of property offered for sale by authority of public servant
- 220 Illegal purchase or bid for property offered for sale by authority of public servant
- 221 Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions 1 judgment
- 222 Omission to assist public servant when bound by law to give assistance
- 223 Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant
- 224 Threat of injury to public servant
- 225 Threat of injury to induce person to refrain from applying for protection to public servant
- 226 Attempt to commit suicide to compel or restrain exercise of lawful power
Chapter XIV: Of False Evidence and Offences against Public Justice
- 227 Giving false evidence
- 228 Fabricating false evidence
- 229 Punishment for false evidence
- 230 Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of capital offence
- 231 Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of offence punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment
- 232 Threatening any person to give false evidence
- 233 Using evidence known to be false
- 234 Issuing or signing false certificate
- 235 Using as true a certificate known to be false
- 236 False statement made in declaration which is by law receivable as evidence
- 237 Using as true such declaration knowing it to be false
- 238 Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender
- 239 Intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform
- 240 Giving false information respecting an offence committed
- 241 Destruction of document or electronic record to prevent its production as evidence
- 242 False personation for purpose of act or proceeding in suit or prosecution
- 243 Fraudulent removal or concealment of property to prevent its seizure as forfeited or in execution
- 244 Fraudulent claim to property to prevent its seizure as forfeited or in execution
- 245 Fraudulently suffering decree for sum not due
- 246 Dishonestly making false claim in Court
- 247 Fraudulently obtaining decree for sum not due
- 248 False charge of offence made with intent to injure
- 249 Harbouring offender
- 250 Taking gift, etc., to screen an offender from punishment
- 251 Offering gift or restoration of property in consideration of screening offender
- 252 Taking gift to help to recover stolen property, etc
- 253 Harbouring offender who has escaped from custody or whose apprehension has been ordered
- 254 Penalty for harbouring robbers or dacoits
- 255 Public servant disobeying direction of law with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture
- 256 Public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture
- 257 Public servant in judicial proceeding corruptly making report, etc., contrary to law
- 258 Commitment for trial or confinement by person having authority who knows that he is acting contrary to law
- 259 Intentional omission to apprehend on part of public servant bound to apprehend
- 260 Intentional omission to apprehend on part of public servant bound to apprehend person under sentence or lawfully committed
- 261 Escape from confinement or custody negligently suffered by public servant
- 262 Resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension
- 263 Resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension of another person
- 264 Omission to apprehend, or sufferance of escape, on part of public servant, in cases not otherwise provided for
- 265 Resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension or escape or rescue in cases not otherwise provided for
- 266 Violation of condition of remission of punishment
- 267 Intentional insult or interruption to public servant sitting in judicial proceeding
- 268 Personation of assessor
- 269 Failure by person released on bail bond or bond to appear in Court
Chapter XV: Of Offences Affecting the Public Health, Safety, Convenience, Decency and Morals
- 270 Public nuisance
- 271 Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life
- 272 Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life
- 273 Disobedience to quarantine rule
- 274 Adulteration of food or drink intended for sale
- 275 Sale of noxious food or drink
- 276 Adulteration of drugs
- 277 Sale of adulterated drugs
- 278 Sale of drug as a different drug or preparation
- 279 Fouling water of public spring or reservoir
- 280 Making atmosphere noxious to health
- 281 Rash driving or riding on a public way
- 282 Rash navigation of vessel
- 283 Exhibition of false light, mark or buoy
- 284 Conveying person by water for hire in unsafe or overloaded vessel
- 285 Danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation
- 286 Negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance
- 287 Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter
- 288 Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance
- 289 Negligent conduct with respect to machinery
- 290 Negligent conduct with respect to pulling down, repairing or constructing buildings, etc
- 291 Negligent conduct with respect to animal
- 292 Punishment for public nuisance in cases not otherwise provided for
- 293 Continuance of nuisance after injunction to discontinue
- 294 Sale, etc., of obscene books, etc
- 295 Sale, etc., of obscene objects to child
- 296 Obscene acts and songs 1 judgment
- 297 Keeping lottery office
Chapter XVI: Of Offences Relating to Religion
- 298 Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult religion of any class
- 299 Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs 1 judgment
- 300 Disturbing religious assembly
- 301 Trespassing on burial places, etc
- 302 Uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings of any person 1 judgment
Chapter XVII: Of Offences against Property
Of theft
- 303 Theft
- 304 Snatching
- 305 Theft in a dwelling house, or means of transportation or place of worship, etc
- 306 Theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master
- 307 Theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to committing of theft
Of extortion
Of robbery and dacoity
- 309 Robbery
- 310 Dacoity
- 311 Robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt
- 312 Attempt to commit robbery or dacoity when armed with deadly weapon
- 313 Punishment for belonging to gang of robbers, etc
Of criminal misappropriation of property
- 314 Dishonest misappropriation of property
- 315 Dishonest misappropriation of property possessed by deceased person at the time of his death
Of criminal breach of trust
- 316 Criminal breach of trust 2 judgments
Of receiving stolen property
Of cheating
- 318 Cheating 2 judgments
- 319 Cheating by personation
Of fraudulent deeds and dispositions of property
- 320 Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property to prevent distribution among creditors
- 321 Dishonestly or fraudulently preventing debt being available for creditors
- 322 Dishonest or fraudulent execution of deed of transfer containing false statement of consideration
- 323 Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property
Of mischief
- 324 Mischief 3 judgments
- 325 Mischief by killing or maiming animal
- 326 Mischief by injury, inundation, fire or explosive substance, etc 1 judgment
- 327 Mischief with intent to destroy or make unsafe a rail, aircraft, decked vessel or one of twenty tons burden
- 328 Punishment for intentionally running vessel aground or ashore with intent to commit theft, etc
Of criminal trespass
- 329 Criminal trespass and house-trespass
- 330 House-trespass and hous-ebreaking
- 331 Punishment for house-trespass or house-breaking
- 332 House-trespass in order to commit offence
- 333 House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint 1 judgment
- 334 Dishonestly breaking open receptacle containing property
Chapter XVIII: Of Offences Relating to Documents and to Property Marks
- 335 Making a false document
- 336 Forgery
- 337 Forgery of record of Court or of public register, etc
- 338 Forgery of valuable security, will, etc
- 339 Having possession of document described in section 337 or section 338, knowing it to be forged and intending to use it as genuine
- 340 Forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine
- 341 Making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc., with intent to commit forgery punishable under section 338
- 342 Counterfeiting device or mark used for authenticating documents described in section 338, or possessing counterfeit marked material
- 343 Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security
- 344 Falsification of accounts
Of property marks
- 345 Property mark
- 346 Tampering with property mark with intent to cause injury
- 347 Counterfeiting a property mark
- 348 Making or possession of any instrument for counterfeiting a property mark
- 349 Selling goods marked with a counterfeit property mark
- 350 Making a false mark upon any receptacle containing goods
Chapter XIX: Of Criminal Intimidation, Insult, Annoyance, Defamation, Etc.
- 351 Criminal intimidation 1 judgment
- 352 Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace 1 judgment
- 353 Statements conducing to public mischief
- 354 Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine displeasure
- 355 Misconduct in public by a drunken person
Of defamation
Of breach of contract to attend on and supply wants of helpless person
Chapter XX: Repeal and Savings
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 25 August 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.