Section 225 BNS: Threat of injury to induce person to refrain from applying for protection to public servant
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
Section 225 BNS at a Glance
Section 225 BNS deals with threat of injury to induce person to refrain from applying for protection to public servant. It is bailable and non-cognizable, triable by any Magistrate; it replaced Section 190 IPC on 1 July 2024.
Imprisonment of either description for up to one year.
Section 225 BNS Bare Act Text
225. Threat of injury to induce person to refrain from applying for protection to public servant
Whoever holds out any threat of injury to any person for the purpose of inducing that person to refrain or desist from making a legal application for protection against any injury to any public servant legally empowered as such to give such protection, or to cause such protection to be given, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.
Source: Section 225, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
Section 225 BNS in Simple Words
Section 225 BNS of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) deals with holding out a threat of injury to a person for the purpose of inducing that person to refrain or desist from making a legal application for protection against any injury to a public servant who is legally empowered to give or cause such protection to be given. In simple terms, if someone tries to scare a person into not seeking lawful protection from a competent public servant, this section applies. It is meant to protect access to justice.
The law recognises that a wrongdoer may try to silence a person by fear where that person is likely to seek protection against injury. The section applies where the threat is held out with the purpose of stopping the person from making a legal application for protection, not merely to cause fear in general. In practice, it punishes interference with a person's right to seek lawful protection from public authorities.
Ingredients of Section 225 BNS
- A threat of injury held out by the accused to a person
- The purpose of inducing that person to refrain or desist from making a legal application for protection against any injury
- A public servant legally empowered as such to give that protection, or to cause it to be given
Punishment Under Section 225 BNS
Imprisonment of either description for up to one year.
The offender may be punished with fine alone or with both imprisonment and fine.
Holding out a threat of injury to induce a person to refrain from applying for protection to a public servant carries imprisonment for up to one year, or fine, or both.
Example of Section 225 BNS
When Section 225 BNS Does Not Apply
- No threat of injury is held out
- The threat is not held out for the purpose of inducing the person to refrain or desist from making a legal application
- The application is not one for protection against injury
- The application is not to a public servant legally empowered as such to give that protection, or to cause it to be given
- The threat is held out to induce a public servant to do or forbear to do an official act, which is punished under Section 224 BNS
Section 225 BNS in the IPC (Previous Law)
Section 225 BNS replaces Section 190 IPC from the old criminal code.
Section 190 IPC is now Section 225 BNS, with the same title, the same words and the same punishment.
View IPC Section 190 →FAQs on Section 225 BNS
What does Section 225 BNS punish?▼
It punishes holding out a threat of injury to a person in order to induce that person to refrain or desist from making a legal application for protection against injury to a public servant legally empowered to give or cause such protection to be given.
Does Section 225 BNS apply if there was only a verbal warning?▼
A verbal threat can be enough if it is held out to induce the person not to make a legal application for protection to a competent public servant. The real question is the purpose behind the threat.
What is the punishment under Section 225 BNS?▼
The punishment under Section 225 BNS is imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or fine, or both.
Why is Section 225 BNS important in practice?▼
It protects people from being silenced by pressure or fear when they need to approach a competent public servant for protection against injury. This section gives legal backing against that kind of intimidation.
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Sources: Bare Act Text, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Last updated: 16 Oct 2026 ·