Indian criminal law reference

Important IPC Sections: Crimes, Definitions and Punishments

The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) historically defined offences including murder, theft, cheating, criminal conspiracy, rape and criminal intimidation. This guide preserves direct access to 63 important IPC section pages and explains how to read them alongside the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS).

Current law: The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 came into force on 1 July 2024, replacing the IPC for offences governed by the new law. The IPC remains relevant to earlier acts, saved liabilities and pending proceedings, subject to the applicable repeal-and-savings provisions. Do not assume that an IPC section number is also the BNS section number.

IPC and BNS: which law applies?

The India Code official legislation database provides the texts of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA). The BNS defines substantive criminal offences; the BNSS regulates criminal procedure; and the BSA governs evidence.

Repeal and savings: BNS Section 358 addresses repeal of the IPC and the preservation of specified earlier legal consequences. For conduct occurring before 1 July 2024, the date of the alleged act, the applicable law and transitional provisions require careful examination. Article 20(1) of the Constitution also prohibits retrospective criminal conviction and enhancement of punishment.

How to use this IPC section index

Select a section below to open the original detailed IPC page. These links are retained for historical reference and research; check the corresponding current BNS provision before relying on them in a new matter. Punishments and exceptions depend on the exact statutory ingredients and circumstances.

Browse by topic

Offences against the State and public order
Evidence, public justice and public safety
Homicide, hurt and personal liberty
Sexual offences, theft and property crimes
Forgery, intimidation and other offences

Offences against the State and public order

IPC Section 120A. Definition of criminal conspiracy IPC Section 120B. Punishment of criminal conspiracy IPC Section 121. Waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India IPC Section 121A. Conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 121 IPC Section 122. Collecting arms, etc., with intention of waging war against the Government of India IPC Section 124. Assaulting President, Governor, etc., with intent to compel or restrain the exercise of any lawful power IPC Section 124A. Sedition IPC Section 144. Joining unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapon IPC Section 146. Rioting IPC Section 147. Punishment for rioting IPC Section 153A. Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony IPC Section 166. Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person IPC Section 171G. False statement in connection with an election

Evidence, public justice and public safety

IPC Section 192. Fabricating false evidence IPC Section 193. Punishment for false evidence IPC Section 209. Dishonestly making false claim in Court IPC Section 218. Public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture IPC Section 260. Using as genuine a Government stamp known to be a counterfeit IPC Section 264. Fraudulent use of false instrument for weighing IPC Section 273. Sale of noxious food or drink IPC Section 283. Danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation

Homicide, hurt and personal liberty

IPC Section 299. Culpable Homicide IPC Section 300. Murder IPC Section 301. Culpable homicide by causing death of person other than person whose death was intended IPC Section 302. Punishment for murder IPC Section 304. Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder IPC Section 304A. Causing death by negligence IPC Section 304B. Dowry death IPC Section 322. Voluntarily causing grievous hurt IPC Section 339. Wrongful restraint IPC Section 340. Wrongful confinement IPC Section 358. Assault or criminal force on grave provocation IPC Section 359. Kidnapping. 360. Kidnapping from India IPC Section 361. Kidnapping from lawful guardianship IPC Section 362. Abduction IPC Section 363. Punishment for kidnapping IPC Section 363A. Kidnapping or maiming a minor for purposes of begging

Sexual offences, theft and property crimes

IPC Section 375. Rape 376. Punishment for rape IPC Section 376D. Gang Rape IPC Section 377. Unnatural offences IPC Section 378. Theft IPC Section 379. Punishment for theft IPC Section 380. Theft in dwelling house, etc IPC Section 390. Robbery IPC Section 392. Punishment for robbery IPC Section 405. Criminal breach of trust IPC Section 406. Punishment for criminal breach of trust IPC Section 410. Stolen property IPC Section 411. Dishonestly receiving stolen property IPC Section 414. Assisting in concealment of stolen property IPC Section 415. Cheating IPC Section 417. Punishment for cheating IPC Section 420. Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property

Forgery, intimidation and other offences

IPC Section 464. Making a false document IPC Section 465. Punishment for forgery IPC Section 466. Forgery of record of Court or of public register, etc IPC Section 477A. Falsification of accounts IPC Section 489C. Possession of forged or counterfeit currency notes or bank notes IPC Section 504. Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace IPC Section 505. Statements conducing to public mischief IPC Section 506. Punishment for criminal intimidation IPC Section 510. Misconduct in public by a drunken person

Key changes and legal cautions

Sedition and offences against the State

IPC Section 124A was titled sedition. It is not carried forward under the same heading in the BNS. BNS Section 152 instead addresses acts endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India. Its elements and wording must be considered independently rather than treating it as a simple renumbering of Section 124A.

Murder, culpable homicide and death by negligence

IPC Sections 299 to 304 distinguish culpable homicide, murder and their punishments; Section 304A addressed causing death by negligence. Under the BNS, the corresponding framework includes Sections 100 (culpable homicide), 101 (murder), 103 (punishment for murder), 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 106 (causing death by negligence), subject to the operative commencement provisions. Section 106(2) has a distinct commencement position and should not be assumed operative merely because most of the BNS commenced on 1 July 2024.

Sexual offences and constitutional limits

IPC Sections 375, 376 and 376D concern rape and gang rape under the former Code. The BNS addresses rape and associated offences principally in Sections 63 to 71. IPC Section 377 must be read in light of the Supreme Court's decision in Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018), which decriminalised consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults. The BNS does not reproduce Section 377 as a standalone provision.

Cheating, theft, forgery and intimidation

Common historical IPC references include Section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), Section 379 (punishment for theft), Section 406 (criminal breach of trust), Section 465 (forgery) and Section 506 (criminal intimidation). Under the BNS, consult the definitions and punishments in the relevant chapters rather than substituting numbers without checking statutory language.

Police complaints, FIRs and bail

The BNSS governs procedures including recording information about cognizable offences, arrest, investigation and bail for proceedings to which it applies. For a practical starting point, read how to register an FIR, remedies when police refuse an FIR and detention and default bail. These older guides may use CrPC terminology and should be checked against the BNSS and transitional rules.

Important case-law and related legal references

This page is a legal information index, not a substitute for the current statute, state-specific amendments or professional advice. Official legislation and relevant court decisions control where a summary differs.