Section 86: Cruelty defined

Corresponding IPC provision

As given in the correspondence table of the National Crime Records Bureau (Ministry of Home Affairs). Read both texts before relying on it. NCRB table

Leading cases

• Paparambaka Rosamma v. State of Andhra Pradesh (1999)Decided on IPC section 498AThe Court set aside convictions under Sections 498-A and 302 IPC that rested only on a dying declaration, because the doctor certified only that the injured was conscious, not that she was in a fit state of mind.
• Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar (2014)Decided on IPC section 498APolice must not arrest automatically for offences punishable with up to seven years; they must record why arrest is necessary under Section 41 CrPC, and Magistrates must scrutinise those reasons before authorising detention.

Questions on this section

3 questions in 12 of our papers cite Section 86. Try these from the free papers:

1. 1. Consider the following statements regarding the meaning of 'cruelty' in Section 86 of the BNS: 1. It includes wilful conduct likely to cause grave danger to the mental health of the woman. 2. It includes harassment of the woman on account of failure by a person related to her to meet an unlawful demand for any property or valuable security. 3. It is confined to physical violence that causes bodily injury. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   A.1 and 2 onlyB.2 and 3 onlyC.1 onlyD.1, 2 and 3
   Show answer