Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
BNS Section 212
Furnishing false information
In one line
BNS Section 212 deals with furnishing false information and replaces IPC 177.
Punishment, bail and court
| Section | Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 212(a) | Knowingly furnishing false information to public servant. | Simple imprisonment for 6 months, or fine of 5,000 rupees, or both. | Non-cognizable. | Bailable. | Any Magistrate. |
| 212(b) | If the information required respects the commission of an offence, etc. | Imprisonment for 2 years, or fine, or both. | Non-cognizable. | Bailable. | Any Magistrate. |
Source: First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. The punishment column is the Schedule’s summary; the section text below is what prescribes the punishment. Classification decides procedure (arrest, bail as of right, which court), not the result of any particular case.
Bare act text — BNS 212
212. Furnishing false information.
Whoever, being legally bound to furnish information on any subject to any public servant, as such, furnishes, as true, information on the subject which he knows or has reason to believe to be false,— (a) shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both; (b) where the information which he is legally bound to give respects the commission of an offence, or is required for the purpose of preventing the commission of an offence, or in order to the apprehension of an offender, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both. Illustrations. (a) A, a landholder, knowing of the commission of a murder within the limits of his estate, wilfully misinforms the Magistrate of the district that the death has occurred by accident in consequence of the bite of a snake. A is guilty of the offence defined in this section. (b) A, a village watchman, knowing that a considerable body of strangers has passed through his village in order to commit a dacoity in the house of Z, a wealthy merchant residing in a neighbouring place, and being legally bound to give early and punctual information of the above fact to the officer of the nearest police station, wilfully misinforms the police officer that a body of suspicious characters passed through the village with a view to commit dacoity in a certain distant place in a different direction. Here A is guilty of the offence defined in this section. Explanation.—In section 211 and in this section the word “offence” include any act committed at any place out of India, which, if committed in India, would be punishable under any of the following sections, namely, 103, 105, 307, sub-sections (2), (3) and (4) of section 309, sub-sections (2), (3), (4) and (5) of section 310, 311, 312, clauses (f) and (g) of section 326, sub-sections (4), (6), (7) and (8) of section 331, clauses (a) and (b) of section 332 and the word “offender” includes any person who is alleged to have been guilty of any such act.
What changed from the IPC
- IPC 177 → BNS 212: The upper limit of the fine has been increased from one thousand to five thousand rupees.
- IPC 177 → BNS 212: "Bound under clause 5, section VII, Regulation III, 1821,of the Bengal Code" is replaced by "legally bound" in the illustration (b).
Frequently asked
What was BNS Section 212 in the IPC?
BNS Section 212 (Furnishing false information) replaces Section 177 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. IPC 177 is now BNS 212.
What is the punishment under BNS 212(a)?
Knowingly furnishing false information to public servant – punishable with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both. Under the First Schedule to the BNSS, 2023 it is non-cognizable and bailable, triable by any Magistrate.
What is the punishment under BNS 212(b)?
If the information required respects the commission of an offence, etc – punishable with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both. Under the First Schedule to the BNSS, 2023 it is non-cognizable and bailable, triable by any Magistrate.
Is BNS 212 bailable?
Bailable: BNS 212(a), 212(b). Bail in a non-bailable offence is at the court's discretion; the classification decides procedure, not the outcome of a particular bail application.
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Nearby BNS sections
- BNS 207 — Preventing service of summons or other proceeding, or preventing publication thereof
- BNS 208 — Non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant
- BNS 209 — Non-appearance in response to a proclamation under section 84 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
- BNS 210 — Omission to produce document or electronic record to public servant by person legally bound to produce it
- BNS 211 — Omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to give it
- BNS 213 — Refusing oath or affirmation when duly required by public servant to make it
- BNS 214 — Refusing to answer public servant authorised to question
- BNS 215 — Refusing to sign statement
- BNS 216 — False statement on oath or affirmation to public servant or person authorised to administer an oath or affirmation
- BNS 217 — False information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to injury of another person