BNS Section 241 — Destruction of document or electronic record to prevent its production as evidence

CHAPTER XIV OF FALSE EVIDENCE AND OFFENCES AGAINST PUBLIC JUSTICE

Criminal

Summary

Whoever hides or destroys any document or electronic record that they may be legally forced to produce as evidence in a Court, or in any proceeding lawfully held before a public servant acting in their official capacity, or makes the whole or any part of such document or electronic record illegible or unreadable, with the intention of preventing it from being produced or used as evidence before such Court or public servant, or does so after they have been lawfully summoned or required to produce it for that purpose, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with a fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both.

Official Text

Whoever secretes or destroys any document or electronic record which he may be lawfully compelled to produce as evidence in a Court or in any proceeding lawfully held before a public servant, as such, or obliterates or renders illegible the whole or any part of such document or electronic record with the intention of preventing the same from being produced or used as evidence before such Court or public servant as aforesaid, or after he shall have been lawfully summoned or required to produce the same for that purpose, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both.

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.6 p.280 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1531 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2024) Vol.8 p.670 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
  • SC (2025) Vol.9 p.283 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.7 p.105 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2024) Vol.6 p.129 — Supreme Court of India (2024)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

  • IPC §204 — Destruction of document or electronic record to prevent its production as evidence