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Wednesday, 11 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter IV: Of Abetment, Criminal Conspiracy And Attempt

Section 58 BNS: Concealing design to commit offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life

Corresponding IPC
Section 118 IPC
Punishment
If offence committed, imprisonment up to 7 years; if not committed, imprisonment up to 3 years, and fine
Note
Adds concealment by encryption or any other information hiding tool.

Classification of offence

SectionCognizable?Bailable?Triable by
58(a)Same as the offence it relates toNon-bailableCourt that tries the related offence
58(b)Same as the offence it relates toBailableCourt that tries the related offence

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

Bare Act text

Whoever intending to facilitate or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby facilitate the commission of an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life, voluntarily conceals by any act or omission, or by the use of encryption or any other information hiding tool, the existence of a design to commit such offence or makes any representation which he knows to be false respecting such design shall,—

(a) if that offence be committed, be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years; or

(b) if the offence be not committed, with imprisonment of either description, for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Illustration. A, knowing that dacoity is about to be committed at B, falsely informs the Magistrate that a dacoity is about to be committed at C, a place in an opposite direction, and thereby misleads the Magistrate with intent to facilitate the commission of the offence. The dacoity is committed at B in pursuance of the design. A is punishable under 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 a person who, to facilitate or knowing it likely to facilitate an offence punishable with death or life imprisonment, conceals the design to commit it (by act, omission, encryption or other information hiding tool) or makes a false representation about it. The penalty depends on whether the offence is committed.

Chapter IV: Of Abetment, Criminal Conspiracy And Attempt

  1. 45 Abetment of a thing
  2. 46 Abettor
  3. 47 Abetment in India of offences outside India
  4. 48 Abetment outside India for offence in India
  5. 49 Punishment of abetment if act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment
  6. 50 Punishment of abetment if person abetted does act with different intention from that of abettor
  7. 51 Liability of abettor when one act abetted and different act done
  8. 52 Abettor when liable to cumulative punishment for act abetted and for act done
  9. 53 Liability of abettor for an effect caused by act abetted different from that intended by abettor
  10. 54 Abettor present when offence is committed
  11. 55 Abetment of offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life
  12. 56 Abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment
  13. 57 Abetting commission of offence by public or by more than ten persons
  14. 58 Concealing design to commit offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life
  15. 59 Public servant concealing design to commit offence which it is his duty to prevent
  16. 60 Concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment
  17. 61 Criminal conspiracy
  18. 62 Punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment
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