BNS Section 343: Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of a will, authority to adopt, or valuable security
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter 18: Of Offences Relating to Documents and to Property Marks - Of property marks
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¶343. Whoever fraudulently or dishonestly, or with intent to cause damage or injury to the public or to any person, cancels, destroys or defaces, or attempts to cancel, destroy or deface, or secretes or attempts to secrete any document which is or purports to be a will, or an authority to adopt a son, or any valuable security, or commits mischief in respect of such document, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Study: explanations and related material
Replaces IPC 477. IPC → BNS converterSource: BPR&D BNS–IPC corresponding section table (UP Police, 2024-06-28)
Punishment, bail and trial
343Fraudulently destroying or defacing, or attempting to destroy or deface, or secreting, a will, etc.
- Punishment
- Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for 7 years and fine.
- Cognizable or not
- Non‑cognizable
- Bailable or not
- Non‑bailable
- Triable by
- Magistrate of the first class
Source: BNSS First Schedule, Gazette of India, 25 December 2023, p. 187. 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
- 335. Making a false document
- 336. Forgery
- 337. Forgery of the record of a Court or of a public register, etc
- 338. Forgery of a valuable security, will, etc
- 339. Having possession of a document described in section 337 or section 338, knowing it to be forged and intending to use it as genuine
- 340. Forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine
- 341. Making or possessing a counterfeit seal, etc., with intent to commit forgery punishable under section 338
- 342. Counterfeiting a device or mark used for authenticating documents described in section 338, or possessing counterfeit marked material
- 344. Falsification of accounts
- 345. Property mark
- 346. Tampering with a property mark with the intent to cause injury
- 347. Counterfeiting a property mark
- 348. Making or possession of any instrument for counterfeiting a property mark
- 349. Selling goods marked with a counterfeit property mark
- 350. Making a false mark upon any receptacle containing goods