Indian Penal Code, 1860 · Chapter XVII: Of Offences against Property · Of robbery and dacoity
Section 400: Punishment for belonging to gang of dacoits
The Indian Penal Code, 1860 was repealed and replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 from 1 July 2024.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
Belonging to a gang associated for habitually committing dacoity is punishable with imprisonment for life or rigorous imprisonment for up to ten years, and a fine.
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, at any time after the passing of this Act, shall belong to a gang of persons associated for the purpose of habitually committing dacoity, shall be punished with [imprisonment for life], or with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
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.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 400
-
Daljit Singh v. State of Haryana & Anr.
Issue arose as regards the order passed by the High Court refusing to quash the complaint, summoning order and order declaring the appellant a proclaimed offender passed by the Magistrate; whether the proclaimed…
-
State of Haryana v. Dharamraj
In instant appeal, the State seeks cancellation of anticipatory bail granted to the sole respondent by the Single Judge of the High Court.
- Dinganglung Gangmei v. Mutum Churamani Meetei
- Hetchin Haokip v. State of Manipur and Ors.
- M/S. Advanta India Ltd. v. B. N. Shivanna
- Somasundaram @ Somu v. State Rep. by Dy. Comm. of Police
- Central Bureau of Investigation v. Hopeson Ningshen & Ors.
- Ranjitsing Brahmajeetsing Sharma v. State of Maharashtra and Anr.
- Rajendra Kumar Sitaram Pande Etc. v. Uttam and Another
- Superintendent & Rememberancer of Legal Affairs,West Bengal v. S. K. Roy