BNS 120 — Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to extort confession, or to compel restoration of property.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

Statutory text

120. (1) Whoever voluntarily causes hurt for the purpose of extorting
from  the  sufferer or  from  any  person  interested  in  the  sufferer,  any
confession or any information which may lead to the detection of an offence
or misconduct, or for the purpose of constraining the sufferer or any person
interested  in  the  sufferer  to  restore  or  to  cause  the  restoration  of  any
property or valuable security or to satisfy any claim or demand, or to give
information which may lead to the restoration of any property or valuable
security,  shall  be  punished  with  imprisonment  of  either  description  for  a
term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Illustrations.
(a) A, a police officer, tortures Z in order to induce Z to confess that
he committed a crime. A is guilty of an offence under this section.
(b)  A,  a  police  officer,  tortures  B  to induce  him  to  point  out  where
certain  stolen  property  is  deposited.  A  is  guilty  of  an  offence  under  this
section.
(c)  A,  a  revenue  officer,  tortures  Z  in  order  to  compel  him  to  pay
certain arrears of revenue due from Z. A is guilty of an offence under this
section.

(2)  Whoever  voluntarily  causes  grievous  hurt  for  any  purpose
referred to in sub-section (1), shall be punished with imprisonment of either
description  for  a  term  which  may  extend  to  ten  years,  and  shall  also  be
liable to fine.
Voluntarily  causing hurt  or  grievous  hurt  to  deter  public  servant
from his duty.

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