343. Whoever fraudulently or dishonestly, or with intent to cause damage or injury to the public or to any person, cancels, destroys or defaces, or attempts to cancel, destroy or deface, or secretes or attempts to secrete any document which is or purports to be a will, or an authority to adopt a son, or any valuable security, or commits mischief in respect of such document, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
IPC Section 477 in BNS: Section 343
Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security
Section 477 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security) corresponds to Section 343 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in force from 1 July 2024. Under the BNSS First Schedule, BNS 343 is non-cognizable, non-bailable, triable by Magistrate of the first class; punishment: Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for 7 years and fine.
Bail, cognizability and punishment
| Section | Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 343 | Fraudulently destroying or defacing, or attempting to destroy or deface, or secreting, a will, etc. | Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for 7 years and fine. | Non-cognizable | Non-bailable | Magistrate of the first class |
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 343
Full BNS Section 343 and every IPC section it replaced →
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