240. Whoever, knowing or having reason to believe that an offence has been committed, gives any information respecting that offence which he knows or believes to be false, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both. Explanation.—In sections 238 and 239 and in this section the word "offence" includes 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.
IPC Section 203 in BNS: Section 240
Giving false information respecting an offence committed
Section 203 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Giving false information respecting an offence committed) corresponds to Section 240 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in force from 1 July 2024. Under the BNSS First Schedule, BNS 240 is non-cognizable, bailable, triable by Any Magistrate; punishment: Imprisonment for 2 years, or fine, or both.
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Bail, cognizability and punishment
| Section | Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 240 | Giving false information respecting an offence committed. | Imprisonment for 2 years, or fine, or both. | Non-cognizable | Bailable | Any Magistrate |
Source: BNSS, 2023, First Schedule, Part I.
The BNS applies to offences committed on or after 1 July 2024. Offences committed earlier are charged and tried under the IPC.
Text of BNS Section 240
Full BNS Section 240 and every IPC section it replaced →
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