Section 177 · Furnishing false information
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Whoever, being legally bound to furnish information on any
subject to any public servant, as such, furnishes, as true, information on the subject which he knows or
has reason to believe to be false shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend
to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both;
or, if the information which he is legally bound to give respects the commission of an offence, or is required for the purpose of preventing the commission of an offence, or in order to the apprehension of an offender, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
Illustrations
(a) A, a landholder, knowing of the commission of a murder within the limits of his estate, wilfully misinforms the Magistrate of the district that the death has occurred by accident in consequence of the bite of a snake. A is guilty of the offence defined in this section.
(b) A, a village watchman, knowing that a considerable body of strangers has passed through his village in order to commit a dacoity in the house of Z, a wealthy merchant residing in a neighbouring place, and being bound under clause 5, section VII, 1Regulation III, 1821, of the Bengal Code, to give early and punctual information of the above fact to the officer of the nearest police-station, wilfully misinforms the police officer that a body of suspicious characters passed through the village with a view to commit dacoity in a certain distant place in a different direction. Here A is guilty of the offence defined in the latter part of this section.
2 [Explanation.—In section 176 and in this section the word "offence" includes any act committed at any place out of 3 [India], which, if committed in 156 [India], would be punishable under any of the following following sections, namely, 302, 304, 382, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 402, 435, 436, 449, 450, 457, 458, 459 and 460; and the word offender includes any person who is alleged to have been guilty of any such act.]
or, if the information which he is legally bound to give respects the commission of an offence, or is required for the purpose of preventing the commission of an offence, or in order to the apprehension of an offender, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
Illustrations
(a) A, a landholder, knowing of the commission of a murder within the limits of his estate, wilfully misinforms the Magistrate of the district that the death has occurred by accident in consequence of the bite of a snake. A is guilty of the offence defined in this section.
(b) A, a village watchman, knowing that a considerable body of strangers has passed through his village in order to commit a dacoity in the house of Z, a wealthy merchant residing in a neighbouring place, and being bound under clause 5, section VII, 1Regulation III, 1821, of the Bengal Code, to give early and punctual information of the above fact to the officer of the nearest police-station, wilfully misinforms the police officer that a body of suspicious characters passed through the village with a view to commit dacoity in a certain distant place in a different direction. Here A is guilty of the offence defined in the latter part of this section.
2 [Explanation.—In section 176 and in this section the word "offence" includes any act committed at any place out of 3 [India], which, if committed in 156 [India], would be punishable under any of the following following sections, namely, 302, 304, 382, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 402, 435, 436, 449, 450, 457, 458, 459 and 460; and the word offender includes any person who is alleged to have been guilty of any such act.]
The offence at a glance
- Punishment
- up to 2 years, fine up to Rs 1000
- Cognizable
- Non-cognizable
- Bailable
- Bailable
- Compoundable
- Not compoundable
- Triable by
- Any Magistrate
- Non-cognizable — Police cannot investigate without a Magistrate's order
- Bailable — Bail is your right — it can be granted at the police station
Sub-sections of this section carry different penalties; the maximum is shown.
From the First Schedule to the BNSS (the CrPC's, for IPC offences)
In the new law
IPC 177BNS 212
212. Furnishing false information.
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Related sections of law
How this section has changed
The law that applies is the law as it stood on the date of the offence — which is why this timeline matters.
- 1862Repealed
By: Act 17 of 1862
By VII and Sch.
- 1894Inserted
By: Act 3 of 1894
The text in force on the date of the offence is the text that applies — a later amendment does not reach back.