298. Whoever destroys, damages or defiles any place of worship, or any object held sacred by any class of persons with the intention of thereby insulting the religion of any class of persons or with the knowledge that any class of persons is likely to consider such destruction, damage or defilement as an insult to their religion, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
BNS Section 298: Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult religion of any class
Section 298 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 deals with injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult religion of any class. It replaces IPC 295 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. Under the BNSS First Schedule, BNS 298 is cognizable and non-bailable.
Bail, cognizability and punishment
| Section | Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 298 | Defiling, etc., place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class. | Imprisonment for 2 years, or fine, or both. | Cognizable | Non-bailable | Any Magistrate |
Source: BNSS, 2023, First Schedule, Part I.
Text of BNS Section 298
IPC sections replaced
- IPC 295: Injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class
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