Legal World

Section 76 IPC — Act done by a person bound, or by mistake of fact believing himself bound, by law

Indian Penal Code, 1860 · Official PDF page 25

Open in NyayaOfficial PDF, page 25

76. Act done by a person bound, or by mistake of fact believing himself bound, by law.--Nothing is an offence which is done by a person who is, or who by reason of a mistake of fact and not by reason of a mistake of law in good faith believes himself to be, bound by law to do it.

Illustrations

(a) A, a soldier, fires on a mob by the order of his superior officer, in conformity with the commands of the law. A has committed no offence.

(b) A, an officer of a Court of Justice, being ordered by that Court to arrest Y, and after due enquiry, believing Z to be Y, arrests Z. A has committed no offence.

Text extracted from the official PDF (Historical Ministry source copy; amendment cutoff not certified). 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.