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CHAPTER XVIII OF OFFENCES RELATING TO DOCUMENTSAND TO PROPERTY MARKS

Section 477: Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security

The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (repealed)

Repealed by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024.

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 1[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.

Footnotes in the official text

  1. 1.Subs. by Act 26 of 1955, s. 117 and the Sch., for “transportation for life” (w.e.f. 1-1-1956).

Now in the BNS

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

477. Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security.BNS 343

Questions on this section

2 questions in 8 of our papers cite Section 477. Try these from the free papers:

  1. 1. Match List I (offence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023) with List II (punishment): List I A. Forgery of a document purporting to be a will or an authority to adopt a son (Section 338) B. Fraudulently destroying a document purporting to be a will (Section 343) C. Dishonestly executing a deed of transfer containing a false statement of its consideration (Section 322) D. Dishonestly preventing a debt due to oneself from being made available for payment of one's debts (Section 321) List II 1. Imprisonment for life, or up to seven years, and fine 2. Imprisonment up to three years, or fine, or both 3. Imprisonment for life, or up to ten years, and fine 4. Imprisonment up to two years, or fine, or both

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