Chapter 12

section_number: 198
section_name: Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person.
explanation: Whoever, being a public servant, knowingly disobeys any direction of the law as to the way in which he is to conduct himself as such public servant, intending to cause, or knowing it to be likely that he will by such disobedience, cause injury to any person, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.
Illustration:A, being an officer directed by law to take property in execution, in order to satisfy a decree pronounced in Z’s favour by a Court, knowingly disobeys that direction of law, with the knowledge that he is likely thereby to cause injury to Z. A has committed the offence defined in this section.
BNSSClassificationSimple imprisonment for 1 year, or fine, or both.Non-cognizableBailableTriable by Magistrate of the first class.


section_number: 199
section_name: Public servant disobeying direction under law.
explanation: Whoever, being a public servant,knowingly disobeys any direction of the law which prohibits him from requiring the attendance at any place of any person for the purpose of investigation into an offence or any other matter; orknowingly disobeys, to the prejudice of any person, any other direction of the law regulating the manner in which he shall conduct such investigation; orfails to record any information given to him under sub-section (1) of section 174 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 in relation to cognizable offence punishable under section64, section65section66, section67, section68, section71, section73, section76, section122or section141or section142, shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to two years, and shall also be liable to fine.
BNSSClassificationRigorous imprisonment for not less than 6 months which may extend to 2 years and fine.CognizableBailableTriable by Magistrate of the first class.


section_number: 200
section_name: Punishment for non-treatment of victim.
explanation: Whoever, being in charge of a hospital, public or private, whether run by the Central Government, the State Government, local bodies or any other person, contravenes the provisions of section 449 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine or with both.
BNSSClassificationImprisonment for 1 year, or fine, or both.Non-cognizableBailableTriable by Magistrate of the first class.


section_number: 201
section_name: Public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury.
explanation: Whoever, being a public servant, and being, as such public servant, charged with the preparation or translation of any document or electronic record, frames, prepares or translates that document or electronic record in a manner which he knows or believes to be incorrect, intending thereby to cause or knowing it to be likely that he may thereby cause injury to any person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
BNSSClassificationImprisonment for 3 years, or fine, or both.CognizableBailableTriable by Magistrate of the first class.


section_number: 202
section_name: Public servant unlawfully engaging in trade.
explanation: Whoever, being a public servant, and being legally bound as such public servant not to engage in trade, engages in trade, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both or with community service.
BNSSClassificationSimple imprisonment for 1 year, or fine, or both, or community service.Non-cognizableBailableTriable by Magistrate of the first class.


section_number: 203
section_name: Public servant unlawfully buying or bidding for property.
explanation: Whoever, being a public servant, and being legally bound as such public servant, not to purchase or bid for certain property, purchases or bids for that property, either in his own name or in the name of another, or jointly, or in shares with others, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both; and the property, if purchased, shall be confiscated.
BNSSClassificationSimple imprisonment for 2 years, or fine, or both and confiscation of property, if purchased.Non-cognizableBailableTriable by Magistrate of the first class.


section_number: 204
section_name: Personating a public servant.
explanation: Whoever pretends to hold any particular office as a public servant, knowing that he does not hold such office or falsely personates any other person holding such office, and in such assumed character does or attempts to do any act under colour of such office, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to three years and with fine.
BNSSClassificationImprisonment for not less than 6 months but which may extend to 3 years and fineCognizableNon-bailableTriable by Any Magistrate.


section_number: 205
section_name: Wearing garb or carrying token used by public servant with fraudulent intent.
explanation: Whoever, not belonging to a certain class of public servants, wears any garb or carries any token resembling any garb or token used by that class of public servants, with the intention that it may be believed, or with the knowledge that it is likely to be believed, that he belongs to that class of public servants, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both.
BNSSClassificationImprisonment for 3 months, or fine of 5,000 rupees, or both.CognizableBailableTriable by Any Magistrate.