Sunday, 1 February 2026

BNS Sections -Easy explanations

Remember: 4 ACTS + 7 CIRCUMSTANCES = RAPE - 4 Acts (POMP): Penis penetration | Object insertion | Manipulation | Oral application - 7 Circumstances (WCFDIUU): Will | Consent | Fear | Deception | Immature (<18) | Unable (drugs) | Unable (mind) - Key: ANY act + ANY circumstance = rape - Marital exception: Wife ≥18 = protected; Wife <18 = RAPE anyway

 Answer: “Section 63 requires one of 4 acts under one of 7 circumstances. The marital exception applies only to wives 18+. For wives under 18, intercourse is rape even in marriage.”

Remember: FALSE PROMISE ≠ RAPE (but criminal) - False promise of marriage/employment/misrepresented identity - Consent given, but vitiated by fraud (not force) - Distinct crime from rape - Separate offence with separate punishment

 Answer: “Section 69 is entirely new. It criminalizes intercourse by false promise of marriage/employment when woman consents but consent is based on fraud. Different from rape because no force; different from cheating because sexual consequence.”


SECTION 70: GANG RAPE

Remember: 1+ PERSONS ACTING TOGETHER - IPC: 2 persons - BNS: 2 persons - Common intention essential - All members equally liable as principals

 Answer 2+ persons acting conjointly with common intention to commit rape = gang rape. All members equally guilty as principals.”

SECTION 85: CRUELTY BY HUSBAND/RELATIVES

Remember: GRAVE + WILLFUL + PATTERN = CRUELTY - Wilful conduct likely to drive to suicide OR cause grave injury - OR harassment connected with dowry  - NOT: Single incident, trivial complaint, matrimonial discord

 Answer: “Cruelty requires grave, willful, persistent conduct. Single incident or trivial harassment doesn’t constitute cruelty. Modern courts scrutinize 498A/Section 85 cases carefully.

 

SECTION 100: CULPABLE HOMICIDE (Definition)

Remember: 3 MENTAL ELEMENT OPTIONS (Any one) 1. Intention to cause death 2. Intention to cause injury likely to cause death 3. Knowledge that act likely to cause death

             Plus: Act directly causes death

             Excludes: 5 exceptions that make it murder

 Answer: “Culpable homicide: Any one of three mental elements (intention death, injury likely death, knowledge likely death) + causation. Genus of all unlawful killing.”

SECTION 101: MURDER (Definition)

Remember: 4 CLAUSES (Any one; higher bar than CH) 1. Intention to cause death (direct intent) 2. Intention to cause injury KNOWN likely to cause death OF THAT VICTIM (specific knowledge) 3. Intention to cause injury SUFFICIENT in ordinary course to cause death (objective test) 4. Knowledge act imminently dangerous & must in all probability cause death

             Excludes: 5 exceptions (provocation, private defence, public duty, sudden fight, consent)

 Answer: “Murder: Higher culpability than culpable homicide. Clause 2 requires specific knowledge of victim (e.g., knows heart condition); Clause 3 uses objective standard (ordinary person). Four alternative mental elements.”

SECTION 103(2): GROUP MURDER (HATE CRIME - NEW)

Remember: 5+ PERSONS ON HATE GROUND - 5 or more persons minimum - Acting in concert (common intention) - Murder on ground of race/caste/sex/language/belief/similar - Each member equally liable as principal

 Answer: “Entirely new section addressing communal violence. 5+ persons must act conjointly with common intention to murder on hate ground (caste, religion, sex, etc.). Each equally liable. Response to communal riots.”

SECTION 116: GRIEVOUS HURT (Definition)

Remember: 8 CATEGORIES (Any one = GH) 1. Emasculation (reproductive incapacity) 2. Sight loss (blindness) 3. Hearing loss (deafness) 4. Loss of member (amputation) 5. Destruction of function (paralysis) 6. Disfigurement (face scars) 7. Fracture/dislocation (broken bone) 8. Pain ≥15 days OR incapacity (duration-based)

BNS lowered from IPC 20 days to 15 days (Category 8)

 Answer: “8 categories. Category 8 (15-day pain/incapacity) most litigated. BNS reduced threshold from 20 to 15 days—more protection for victims.”

SECTION 117: VOLUNTARILY CAUSING GRIEVOUS HURT

Remember: CAUSES + ANY CATEGORY OF GH - Intentionally OR knowingly causes grievous hurt - Any of 8 categories of grievous hurt - Voluntary (intentional/knowing)

 Answer: “Voluntarily causing any of 8 categories of GH. Mental element: intention OR knowledge that likely cause GH. Distinguish from negligence.”

SECTION 117(3): GRIEVOUS HURT CAUSING PERMANENT DISABILITY (NEW)

Remember: 

 GRIEVOUS HURT + PERMANENT DISABILITY = ENHANCED Punishment - Voluntarily causes  GRIEVOUS HURT  - Results in permanent disability OR persistent vegetative state - Enhanced offence (higher punishment)

 Answer: “Entirely new. Addresses catastrophic injury. Base offence is GH + consequence is permanent disability/vegetative state = enhanced severity.”

SECTION 124(1): ACID ATTACK CAUSING GRIEVOUS HURT (NEW)

Remember: ACID THROWN + GH CAUSED - Voluntarily causes GH - By administering/throwing acid/corrosive/toxic substance - On person’s body - Grievous hurt MUST be caused

 Answer: “Entirely new separate provision. GH by acid. Mandatory minimum 10 years. Fine paid to victim (medical expenses). 

SECTION 124(2): ATTEMPT ACID ATTACK (NEW)

Remember: ACID THROWN—GH NOT REQUIRED - Attempts/throws acid at person - Intention to cause GH OR knowing likely cause GH - Grievous hurt NOT required (attempt alone criminal)

 Answer: “Entirely new. Attempt to throw acid = separate crime. Damage not essential; throwing/attempting alone = complete offence. Deterrent against acid attack attempts.”

SECTION 303: THEFT

Remember: 5 INGREDIENTS (ALL must be present) 1. Taking of movable property 2. Without consent of owner 3. Dishonest intention (intent to permanently deprive) 4. Knowing it wrong 5. Intention to cause wrongful loss OR wrongful gain

 Answer: “5 essential ingredients. KEY: Dishonesty = consciousness of wrongdoing. Taking + dishonesty + intent to deprive = theft.”


SECTION 304: SNATCHING (NEW)

Remember: THEFT + SUDDEN/FORCIBLE + IMMEDIATE AWARENESS - Theft committed - SUDDENLY or QUICKLY or FORCIBLY seized - From person OR immediate possession - Victim immediately aware of loss

 Answer: “Entirely new standalone offence. Distinct from theft (no suddenness) and robbery (no threat/violence). Addresses chain/phone/bag snatching. Sudden forcible taking from immediate possession.”

SECTION 308: EXTORTION

Remember: FEAR + INDUCEMENT + DELIVERY - Puts person in fear of injury (death/hurt/wrongful restraint) - Intentionally AND dishonestly - Induces person to deliver property - Actual delivery of property occurs

 Answer: “Fear must be ACTUAL (victim genuinely afraid, not hypothetical). Property delivered as result of fear. Blackmail = classic extortion.”

SECTION 309: ROBBERY

Remember: THEFT/EXTORTION + FORCE/THREAT + INSTANT HARM - Theft OR Extortion + Use/Threat of Force - Force/threat for: Death OR Hurt OR Wrongful restraint OR Fear of instant death/hurt - “Instant” = immediate/present threat (not remote) - During/before/after stealing OR during escape

 Answer: “Property crime + violence/threat = robbery. ‘Instant’ means immediate threat; offender need not be physically present, sufficiently near. Elevated by force element.”

SECTION 310: DACOITY

Remember: 5+ PERSONS ROBBING TOGETHER - 5 OR MORE persons (mandatory threshold) - Acting conjointly (common intention) - Committing robbery - Includes direct offenders + aiders = 5+ total - All members equally liable as principals

 Answer: “5-person threshold mandatory. 4 persons robbing = 4 counts robbery (not dacoity). 5+ persons robbing = dacoity. Even non-violent aiders count toward 5.”

SECTION 316: CRIMINAL BREACH OF TRUST

Remember: ENTRUSTMENT + DISHONEST MISAPPROPRIATION - Property ENTRUSTED to accused (lawful initial possession—KEY difference from theft) - Dishonest misappropriation/conversion/use - Breach of contract/law governing trust - Dishonest intention MUST be proved

 Answer: “Initial possession key distinction from theft. In theft, never had right (stolen). In CBT, initially had right (entrusted), then dishonestly takes. Includes executors, bankers, agents, public servants.”

SECTION 34-39: PRIVATE DEFENCE - BODY

Remember: APPREHENSION OF DANGER + EXTENDS TO DEATH - Apprehension of danger to body (death/GH/rape/wrongful restraint) - From attempt/threat (need NOT wait for actual attack) - Defence commences as soon as apprehension arises - Continues while danger persists - MAY extend to CAUSING DEATH if necessary

 Answer: “Can use lethal force in body defence (murder, rape, GH threats). Apprehension sufficient (no need for actual attack). Proportionality required.”

SECTION 40-44: PRIVATE DEFENCE - PROPERTY

Remember: APPREHENSION OF PROPERTY DANGER- Apprehension of danger to property (theft/mischief) - From attempt/threat - Defence commences as apprehension arises - Continues while danger persists


SECTION 3(5): COMMON INTENTION

Remember: PRE-PLANNED SHARED INTENTION = ALL PRINCIPALS - 2+ persons - Common intention (PRE-PLANNED, not mere coincidence) - Shared object/plan - In furtherance, any person commits act - Act consequence of common intention - All liable as PRINCIPALS (not aiders/abettors)

 Answer: “Common intention = ‘acting together’. Requires pre-concert/shared plan. All members equally liable as principals. Applies to gang rape, group murder, dacoity.”

 


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