BNS Section 354 — Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine displeasure

CHAPTER XIX OF CRIMINAL INTIMIDATION, INSULT, ANNOYANCE, DEFAMATION, ETC.

Criminal

Summary

Whoever voluntarily causes or attempts to cause a person to do something that the person is not legally bound to do, or to omit doing something that the person is legally entitled to do, by making or trying to make that person believe that he or any person he is interested in will become an object of Divine displeasure because of some act of the offender if he does not do the thing the offender wants, or if he does the thing the offender wants him to omit, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for up to one year, or with fine, or with both.

Illustration (a): A sits dharna at Z's door with the intention of causing it to be believed that, by so sitting, he renders Z an object of Divine displeasure. A has committed the offence defined in this section.

Illustration (b): A threatens Z that, unless Z performs a certain act, A will kill one of A's own children, under such circumstances that the killing would be believed to render Z an object of Divine displeasure. A has committed the offence defined in this section.

Official Text

Whoever voluntarily causes or attempts to cause any person to do anything which that person is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do anything which he is legally entitled to do, by inducing or attempting to induce that person to believe that he or any person in whom he is interested will become or will be rendered by some act of the offender an object of Divine displeasure if he does not do the thing which it is the object of the offender to cause him to do, or if he does the thing which it is the object of the offender to cause him to omit, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

Illustrations.

(a) A sits dharna at Z’s door with the intention of causing it to be believed that, by so sitting, he renders Z an object of Divine displeasure. A has committed the offence defined in this section.

(b) A threatens Z that, unless Z performs a certain act, A will kill one of A’s own children, under such circumstances that the killing would be believed to render Z an object of Divine displeasure. A has committed the offence defined in this section.

Related Judgments

  • SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1309 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.11 p.291 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • NAIUIADA PRASAD v. CIUIAGAN LAL — Supreme Court of India (1969)
  • SC (2025) Vol.6 p.280 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1531 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.4 p.2730 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2024) Vol.4 p.523 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
  • NANDLAL v. MANILAL — Supreme Court of India (1969)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

  • IPC §508 — Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine displeasure