Legal World

Section 126 BNS — Wrongful restraint

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Official PDF page 41

Open in NyayaOfficial PDF, page 41

126.(1) Whoever voluntarily obstructs any person so as to prevent that person from proceeding in any direction in which that person has a right to proceed, is said wrongfully to restrain that person.

Exception.—The obstruction of a private way over land or water which a person in good faith believes himself to have a lawful right to obstruct, is not an offence within the meaning of this section.

Illustration. A obstructs a path along which Z has a right to pass, A not believing in good faith that he has a right to stop the path. Z is thereby prevented from passing. A wrongfully restrains Z.

(2) Whoever wrongfully restrains any person shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both.

Text extracted from the official PDF (Ministry-published 2024 source copy). Line breaks and footnote marks may differ; the PDF is the authority.

For research. Check the official gazette and later amendments before citing a section.