Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Section 17

BNS 17: earlier IPC 79

Section 17 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 replaces Section 79 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. BNS 17 deals with act done by a person justified, or by mistake of fact believing himself justified, by law. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita came into force on 1 July 2024.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita

BNS 17 was IPC 79.

Act done by a person justified, or by mistake of fact believing himself justified, by law.

Carried over
Old wording kept in full
Old · IPC 1860 · Ch. IV
s. 79
Act done by a person justified, or by mistake of fact believing himself, justified, by law
Nothing is an offence which is done by any person who is justified by law, or who by reason of a mistake of fact and not by reason of a mistake of law in good faith, believes himself to be justified by law, in doing it.
Illustration A sees Z commit what appears to A to be a murder. A, in the exercise, to the best of his judgment exerted in good faith, of the power which the law gives to all persons of apprehending murderers in the fact, seizes Z, in order to bring Z before the proper authorities. A has committed no offence, though it may turn out that Z was acting in self-defence.
Text from the official India Code PDF
New · BNS 2023 · Ch. III
s. 17
Act done by a person justified, or by mistake of fact believing himself justified, by law.
Nothing is an offence which is done by any person who is justified by law, or who by reason of a mistake of fact and not by reason of a mistake of law in good faith, believes himself to be justified by law, in doing it.
Illustration
A sees Z commit what appears to A to be a murder. A, in the exercise, to the best of his judgment exerted in good faith, of the power which the law gives to all persons of apprehending murderers in the fact, seizes Z, in order to bring Z before the proper authorities. A has committed no offence, though it may turn out that Z was acting in self-defence.
Text from India Code

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