Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

BNS Section 354

Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine displeasure

In one line

BNS Section 354 deals with act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of divine displeasure and replaces IPC 508.

Punishment, bail and court

SectionOffencePunishmentCognizableBailableTriable by
354Act 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.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 354

354. Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine displeasure.

Whoever voluntarily causes or attempts to cause any person to do anything which that person is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do anything which he is legally entitled to do, by inducing or attempting to induce that person to believe that he or any person in whom he is interested will become or will be rendered by some act of the offender an object of Divine displeasure if he does not do the thing which it is the object of the offender to cause him to do, or if he does the thing which it is the object of the offender to cause him to omit, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both. Illustrations. (a) A sits dharna at Z’s door with the intention of causing it to be believed that, by so sitting, he renders Z an object of Divine displeasure. A has committed the offence defined in this section. (b) A threatens Z that, unless Z performs a certain act, A will kill one of A’s own children, under such circumstances that the killing would be believed to render Z an object of Divine displeasure. A has committed the offence defined in this section.

Frequently asked

What was BNS Section 354 in the IPC?

BNS Section 354 (Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine displeasure) replaces Section 508 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. IPC 508 is now BNS 354.

What is the punishment under BNS 354?

Act caused by inducing a person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine displeasure – punishable with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both. Under the First Schedule to the BNSS, 2023 it is non-cognizable and bailable, triable by any Magistrate.

Is BNS 354 bailable?

Bailable: BNS 354. 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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