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Thursday, 12 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XIX: Of Criminal Intimidation, Insult, Annoyance, Defamation, Etc.

Section 354 BNS: Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine displeasure

Corresponding IPC
Section 508 IPC
Punishment
Imprisonment up to 1 year, or fine, or both

Classification of offence

SectionCognizable?Bailable?Triable by
354Non-cognizableBailableAny Magistrate

As per the First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

Bare Act text

Whoever voluntarily causes or attempts to cause any person to do anything which that person is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do anything which he is legally entitled to do, by inducing or attempting to induce that person to believe that he or any person in whom he is interested will become or will be rendered by some act of the offender an object of Divine displeasure if he does not do the thing which it is the object of the offender to cause him to do, or if he does the thing which it is the object of the offender to cause him to omit, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

Illustrations.

(a) A sits dharna at Z’s door with the intention of causing it to be believed that, by so sitting, he renders Z an object of Divine displeasure. A has committed the offence defined in this section.

(b) A threatens Z that, unless Z performs a certain act, A will kill one of A’s own children, under such circumstances that the killing would be believed to render Z an object of Divine displeasure. A has committed the offence defined in this section.

Text as enacted in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act No. 45 of 2023), in force from 1 July 2024. Source: India Code, Government of India.

In simple words

Punishes causing or attempting to cause a person to do or omit an act by inducing belief that he or someone dear to him will become an object of Divine displeasure otherwise.

Chapter XIX: Of Criminal Intimidation, Insult, Annoyance, Defamation, Etc.

  1. 351 Criminal intimidation
  2. 352 Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace
  3. 353 Statements conducing to public mischief
  4. 354 Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine displeasure
  5. 355 Misconduct in public by a drunken person
  6. 356 Defamation
  7. 357 Breach of contract to attend on and supply wants of helpless person