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

Summary

Whoever, acting fraudulently or dishonestly, or with the intent to cause damage or injury to the public or to any person, cancels, destroys, defaces, or attempts to cancel, destroy, or deface any document that is or claims to be a will, an authority to adopt a son, or any valuable security, or hides or attempts to hide such a document, or commits mischief in respect of such a document, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term that may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to a fine.

Official Text

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 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.

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 (2024) Vol.6 p.129 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
• 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.3 p.1531 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.2 p.80 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.4 p.2730 — Supreme Court of India (2025)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• IPC §477 — Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security