IPC Section 493 — Cohabitation caused by a man deceitfully inducing a belief of lawful marriage

Summary

If a man tricks a woman into believing she is legally married to him when she is not, and because of that belief she lives with him or has sex with him, he commits an offence. This applies only when the man uses deceit to create that false belief. The punishment for this offence can be imprisonment for up to ten years, and a fine may also be imposed.

Official Text

Every man who by deceit causes any woman who is not lawfully married to him to believe that she is lawfully married to him and to cohabit or have sexual intercourse with him in that belief, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Related Judgments

• ARUN SINGH & OTHERS v. STATE OF U.P. THROUGH ITS SECRETARY & ANOTHER — Supreme Court of India (2020)
• RAM CHANDRA BHAGAT v. STATE OF JHARKHAND 1055 — Supreme Court of India (2012)
• S.C.R. 1094 RAM CHANDRA BHAGAT v. STATE OF JHARKHAND — Supreme Court of India (2010)
• S.C.R. 551 RAVINDER KAUR v. ANIL KUMAR — Supreme Court of India (2015)
• .. Sole Accused/Petitioner vs Yasodhai — Madras High Court (2006)
• WP(MD)/15746/2015 — Madras High Court ()
• ... Appellant / Sole accused vs State represented by — Madras High Court ()
• S.C.R. 542 URMILA DEVI v. YUDHVIR SINGH — Supreme Court of India (2013)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• BNS §81 — Cohabitation caused by man deceitfully inducing belief of lawful marriage