IPC Section 72 — Punishment of person guilty of one of several offences, the judgment stating that it is doubtful of which

Summary

If a court finds a person guilty of one of several possible offences but is unsure which specific offence was committed, the person must be given the punishment for the offence that carries the lightest penalty, unless all the possible offences have the same punishment.

Official Text

In all cases in which judgment is given that a person is guilty of one of several offences specified in the judgment, but that it is doubtful of which of these offences he is guilty, the offender shall be punished for the offence for which the lowest punishment is provided if the same punishment is not provided for all.

Related Judgments

• S.C.R. 857 RICHHPAL SINGH MEENA v. GHASI — Supreme Court of India (2014)
• SARY A SHRAMIK SANGH v. MIS. INDIAN SMELTING AND REFINING CO. LTD. AND ORS. OCTOBER 28, 2003 — Supreme Court of India (S)
• S.C.R. 276 STATE OF HARYANA v. SHAKUNTLA AND ORS — Supreme Court of India (2012)
• SOMU v. THE STATE REP. BY THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE — Supreme Court of India (2020)
• S.C.R. 772 VIRENDRA SINGH v. STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH — Supreme Court of India (2010)
• UNION OF INDIA v. SA VJIRAM AND ANR. DECEMBER 17, 2003 B — Supreme Court of India (S)
• SC (1955) Vol.1 p.1201 — Supreme Court of India (1955)
• S.C.R. 139 DURYODHAN ROUT v. STATE OF OR — Supreme Court of India (2014)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• BNS §10 — Punishment of person guilty of one of several offences, judgment stating that it is doubtful of which