BNS Section 317: Stolen property
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter 17: Of Offences Against Property - Of theft - Of extortion - Of robbery and dacoity - Of criminal misappropriation of property - Of criminal breach of trust - Of receiving stolen property - Of cheating - Of fraudulent deeds and dispositions of property - Of mischief - Of criminal trespass
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¶317. (1) Property, the possession whereof has been transferred by theft or extortion or robbery or cheating, and property which has been criminally misappropriated or in respect of which criminal breach of trust has been committed, is designated as stolen property, whether the transfer has been made, or the misappropriation or breach of trust has been committed, within or without India, but, if such property subsequently comes into the possession of a person legally entitled to the possession thereof, it then ceases to be stolen property.
¶(2) Whoever dishonestly receives or retains any stolen property, knowing or having reason to believe the same to be stolen property, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
¶(3) Whoever dishonestly receives or retains any stolen property, the possession whereof he knows or has reason to believe to have been transferred by the commission of dacoity, or dishonestly receives from a person, whom he knows or has reason to believe to belong or to have belonged to a gang of dacoits, property which he knows or has reason to believe to have been stolen, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
¶(4) Whoever habitually receives or deals in property which he knows or has reason to believe to be stolen property, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
¶(5) Whoever voluntarily assists in concealing or disposing of or making away with property which he knows or has reason to believe to be stolen property, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
Study: explanations and related material
Replaces IPC 410, IPC 411, IPC 412, IPC 413, IPC 414. IPC → BNS converterSource: BPR&D BNS–IPC corresponding section table (UP Police, 2024-06-28)
Punishment, bail and trial
317(2)Dishonestly receiving stolen property knowing it to be stolen.
- Punishment
- Imprisonment for 3 years, or fine, or both.
- Cognizable or not
- Cognizable
- Bailable or not
- Non‑bailable
- Triable by
- Any Magistrate
317(3)Dishonestly receiving stolen property, knowing that it was obtained by dacoity.
- Punishment
- Imprisonment for life, or rigorous imprisonment for 10 years and fine.
- Cognizable or not
- Cognizable
- Bailable or not
- Non‑bailable
- Triable by
- Court of Session
317(4)Habitually dealing in stolen property.
- Punishment
- Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for 10 years and fine.
- Cognizable or not
- Cognizable
- Bailable or not
- Non‑bailable
- Triable by
- Court of Session
317(5)Assisting in concealment or disposal of stolen property, knowing it to be stolen.
- Punishment
- Imprisonment for 3 years, or fine, or both.
- Cognizable or not
- Cognizable
- Bailable or not
- Non‑bailable
- Triable by
- Any Magistrate
Source: BNSS First Schedule, Gazette of India, 25 December 2023, p. 183. The Schedule gives the substance of the section, not its full definition, and a State may have amended the classification for its territory. See it in the full First Schedule
Official reference: Ministry of Home Affairs: Gazette text, 25 December 2023 — source link checked: 2 October 2026.Recorded edition / snapshot date: 2024-07-01.Mobile-app reference import; the recorded snapshot date is not a fresh legal-currency guarantee. The linked government text is an independent authoritative reference, not certification that this website reproduces the same edition. The source link was checked, not every provision or subsequent amendment. Check commencement notifications, savings and jurisdiction-specific variations separately.
This text is for reference, not legal advice. Consult the official source for the authoritative text.
Other sections in this chapter
- 303. Theft
- 304. Snatching
- 305. Theft in a dwelling house, or means of transportation or place of worship, etc
- 306. Theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master
- 307. Theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to committing theft
- 308. Extortion
- 309. Robbery
- 310. Dacoity
- 311. Robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt
- 312. Attempt to commit robbery or dacoity when armed with a deadly weapon
- 313. Punishment for belonging to a gang of robbers, etc
- 314. Dishonest misappropriation of property
- 315. Dishonest misappropriation of property possessed by a deceased person at the time of his death
- 316. Criminal breach of trust
- 318. Cheating
- 319. Cheating by personation
- 320. Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property to prevent distribution among creditors
- 321. Dishonestly or fraudulently preventing debt being available for creditors
- 322. Dishonest or fraudulent execution of a deed of transfer containing false statement of consideration
- 323. Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property
- 324. Mischief
- 325. Mischief by killing or maiming an animal
- 326. Mischief by injury, inundation, fire or explosive substance, etc
- 327. Mischief with intent to destroy or make unsafe a rail, aircraft, decked vessel or one of twenty tons burden
- 328. Punishment for intentionally running a vessel aground or ashore with intent to commit theft, etc
- 329. Criminal trespass and house-trespass
- 330. House-trespass and house-breaking
- 331. Punishment for house-trespass or house-breaking
- 332. House-trespass in order to commit an offence
- 333. House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint
- 334. Dishonestly breaking open a receptacle containing property