Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security
Full Text
Whoever fraudulently or dishonestly, or with intent to cause damage or injury to the public or to any person, cancels, destroys or defaces, or attempts to cancel, destroy or deface, or secretes or attempts to secrete any document which is or purports to be a will, or an authority to adopt a son, or any valuable security, or commits mischief in respect of such document, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Plain English Summary
Punishes fraudulently cancelling, destroying, defacing, or secreting any will, valuable security, or adoption authority with life imprisonment or up to 7 years imprisonment and a fine.
Key Legal Elements
- Fraudulent or dishonest intent, or intent to cause damage or injury to the public or any person
- Actions: cancelling, destroying, defacing, or secreting (or attempting any of these)
- Document type: must be or purport to be a will, authority to adopt a son, or valuable security
- Committing mischief in respect of such documents
- Severe penalty (life imprisonment or up to 7 years and fine) reflecting the critical legal nature of wills, securities, and adoption papers
Punishment
Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment up to 7 years and fine
Practical Note
CRITICAL COMPARISON: BNS Section 343 corresponds directly to Section 477 of the IPC (fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security). The essential ingredients, type of documents protected, and the maximum punishment (imprisonment for life, or up to 7 years and fine) remain completely identical under BNS Section 343.
हिंदी पाठ
जो कोई कपटपूर्वक या बेईमानी से, या लोक को या किसी व्यक्ति को क्षति या नुकसान कारित करने के आशय से, किसी ऐसे दस्तावेज को, जो वसीयत या पुत्र को दत्तक लेने का प्राधिकार, या कोई मूल्यवान प्रतिभूति हो या होना तात्पर्यित हो, रद्द करेगा, नष्ट करेगा या विरूपित करेगा, या रद्द करने, नष्ट करने या विरूपित करने का प्रयत्न करेगा, या छिपाएगा, या छिपाने का प्रयत्न करेगा, या ऐसे दस्तावेज के संबंध में रिष्टि करेगा, वह आजीवन कारावास से, या दोनों में से किसी भांति के कारावास से, जिसकी अवधि सात वर्ष तक की हो सकेगी, दंडित किया जाएगा और जुर्माने से भी दंडनीय होगा।