Indian Penal Code, 1860 · Chapter VII: Of Offences Relating to the Army, Navyand Air Force
Section 140: Wearing garb or carrying token used by soldier, sailor or airman
The Indian Penal Code, 1860 was repealed and replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 from 1 July 2024. It still applies to matters and proceedings from before that date, as the repealing law provides.
In plain words
A person who is not a soldier, sailor or airman of India's armed forces but wears their garb or carries a similar token, intending to be taken for one, is punishable with imprisonment of either description for up to three months, or a fine of up to five hundred rupees, or both.
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
Whoever, not being a soldier, [sailor or airman] in the Military, [Naval or Air] service of the [Government of India], wears any garb or carries any token resembling any garb or token used by such a soldier, [sailor or airman] with the intention that it may be believed that he is such a soldier, [sailor or airman], shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.
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 (Legislative Department), the text of the Act as it stood before its repeal. 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.