BNS Section 14 — Act done by a person bound, or by mistake of fact believing himself bound, by law

Summary

Nothing is an offence if the person doing the act is legally bound to do it, or if the person, because of a mistake of fact (and not a mistake of law), honestly believes in good faith that they are legally bound to do it.

Illustration (a): A soldier, A, fires on a mob because his superior officer ordered him to do so, and this order follows what the law commands. A has committed no offence.

Illustration (b): A, a court officer, is ordered by the court to arrest Y. After making proper enquiries, A mistakenly believes that Z is Y and arrests Z. A has committed no offence.

Official Text

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, being ordered by that Court to arrest Y, and, after due enquiry, believing Z to be Y, arrests Z. A has committed no offence.

Related Judgments

• SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1309 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.11 p.291 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1531 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.6 p.280 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2024) Vol.8 p.670 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
• SC (2025) Vol.4 p.2730 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2024) Vol.6 p.129 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
• SC (2025) Vol.2 p.80 — Supreme Court of India (2025)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

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