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Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

Intimidation & defamation

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16 entries · In section order

Offences, punishments, bail status, arrest classifications and trial courts. Select a section to read every entry under that section.
SectionOffencePunishmentBail statusArrest classificationTrial court
Section 351(2)

Criminal intimidation.
Imprisonment for 2 years, or fine, or both.
Bailable
Non-cognizable
Any Magistrate.
Section 351(3)

If threat be to cause death or grievous hurt, etc.

Read together with the other entries in Section 351.
Imprisonment for 7 years, or fine, or both.
Bailable
Non-cognizable
Magistrate of the first class.
Section 351(4)

Criminal intimidation by anonymous communication or having taken precaution to conceal whence the threat comes.
Imprisonment for 2 years, in addition to the punishment under section 351(1).
Bailable
Non-cognizable
Magistrate of the first class.
Section 352

Insult intended to provoke breach of the peace.
Imprisonment for 2 years, or fine, or both.
Bailable
Non-cognizable
Any Magistrate.
Section 353(1)

False statement, rumour, etc., circulated with intent to cause mutiny or offence against the public peace.
Imprisonment for 3 years, or fine, or both.
Non-bailable
Non-cognizable
Any Magistrate.
Section 353(2)

False statement, rumour, etc., with intent to create enmity, hatred or ill-will between different classes.
Imprisonment for 3 years, or fine, or both.
Non-bailable
Cognizable
Any Magistrate.
Section 353(3)

False statement, rumour, etc., made in place of worship, etc., with intent to create enmity, hatred or ill-will.
Imprisonment for 5 years and fine.
Non-bailable
Cognizable
Any Magistrate.
Section 354

Act caused by inducing a person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine displeasure.
Imprisonment for 1 year, or fine, or both.
Bailable
Non-cognizable
Any Magistrate.
Section 355

Appearing in a public place, etc., in a state of intoxication, and causing annoyance to any person.
Simple imprisonment for 24 hours, or fine of 1,000 rupees, or both or with community service.
Bailable
Non-cognizable
Any Magistrate.
Section 356(2)

Defamation against the President or the Vice-President or the Governor of a State or Administrator of a Union territory or a Minister in respect of his conduct in the discharge of his public functions when instituted upon a complaint made by the Public Prosecutor.
Simple imprisonment for 2 years, or fine or both, or community service.
Bailable
Non-cognizable
Court of Session.
Section 356(2)Entry 2

Defamation in any other case.
Simple imprisonment for 2 years, or fine or both, or community service.
Bailable
Non-cognizable
Magistrate of the first class.
Section 356(3)

Printing or engraving matter knowing it to be defamatory against the President or the Vice-President or the Governor of a State or Administrator of a Union territory or a Minister in respect of his conduct in the discharge of his public functions when instituted upon a complaint made by the Public Prosecutor.
Simple imprisonment for 2 years, or fine, or both.
Bailable
Non-cognizable
Court of Session.
Section 356(3)Entry 2

Printing or engraving matter knowing it to be defamatory, in any other case.
Simple imprisonment for 2 years, or fine, or both.
Bailable
Non-cognizable
Magistrate of the first class.
Section 356(4)

Sale of printed or engraved substance containing defamatory matter, knowing it to contain such matter against the President or the Vice-President or the Governor of a State or Administrator of a Union territory or a Minister in respect of his conduct in the discharge of his public functions when instituted upon a complaint made by the Public Prosecutor.
Simple imprisonment for 2 years, or fine, or both.
Bailable
Non-cognizable
Court of Session.
Section 356(4)Entry 2

Sale of printed or engraved substance containing defamatory matter, knowing it to contain such matter in any other case.
Simple imprisonment for 2 years, or fine, or both.
Bailable
Non-cognizable
Magistrate of the first class.
Section 357

Being bound to attend on or supply the wants of a person who is helpless from youth, unsoundness of mind or disease, and voluntarily omitting to do so.
Imprisonment for 3 months, or fine of 5,000 rupees, or both.
Bailable
Non-cognizable
Any Magistrate.
All 16 entries shownBack to top ↑
BNS Reference

Original central BNSS First Schedule. Classification summaries, not the full statutory text. Later amendments and state variations are not consolidated here.

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Offence & punishment

The offence summary and punishment listed in the schedule. Read any conditions or alternative entries under the same section.

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Shows whether the schedule lists the offence as bailable, non-bailable, or dependent on another offence.

Arrest classification

The legal term is cognizability. “Cognizable” means a police officer may arrest without warrant. “Non-cognizable” means a police officer shall not arrest without warrant. Conditions are shown in full.

Trial court

The court specified in the schedule. “Magistrate of the first class” and “any Magistrate” exclude Executive Magistrates.

Coverage

465 BNS classification entries across 288 sections, plus three general classification bands for offences under other laws.

What is included

The original central BNSS First Schedule: offence summaries, punishment summaries, cognizability, bailability and trial courts. This is not the full BNS text or a case-law collection. Later amendments, commencement changes and state variations are not consolidated here.

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