BNS Section 57 — Abetting commission of offence by public or by more than ten persons

Summary

Whoever encourages or helps in the commission of an offence by the public at large, or by any group of more than ten people, can be punished with imprisonment of either kind for up to seven years, along with a fine.

The illustration explains that if a person puts up a public notice urging a group of more than ten members to gather at a specific time and place to attack members of another group during a procession, that person has committed the offence described in this section.

Official Text

Whoever abets the commission of an offence by the public generally or by any number or class of persons exceeding ten, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years and with fine.

Illustration. A affixes in a public place a placard instigating a sect consisting of more than ten members to meet at a certain time and place, for the purpose of attacking the members of an adverse sect, while engaged in a procession. 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)
• 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.6 p.280 — 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.8 p.966 — Supreme Court of India (2025)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• IPC §117 — Abetting commission of offence by public or by more than ten persons