Section 182 CrPC: Offences committed by letters, etc

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

Section 182 CrPC at a Glance

Section 182 CrPC deals with offences committed by letters, etc. From 1 July 2024 it is replaced by Section 202 BNSS.

Now BNSS

Section 202 →

What Section 182 CrPC Says

182. Offences committed by letters, etc

(1) Any offence which includes cheating may, if the deception is practised by means of letters or telecommunication messages, be inquired into or tried by any Court within whose local jurisdiction such letters or messages were sent or were received; and any offence of cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the property was delivered by the person deceived or was received by the accused person.

(2) Any offence punishable under section 494 or section 495 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the offender last resided with his or her spouse by the first marriage, or the wife by the first marriage has taken up permanent residence after the commission of the offence.

Source: Section 182, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

Section 182 CrPC in Simple Words

Section 182 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 deals with offences committed by letters, etc. Under Section 182(1) CrPC, an offence that includes cheating is covered where letters or telecommunication messages are the means used to practise the deception. Any Court in whose local jurisdiction those letters or messages were sent, or were received, may inquire into or try that offence. A second rule covers an offence of cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property.

A Court in whose local jurisdiction the person deceived delivered the property may inquire into or try it. So may a Court in whose local jurisdiction the accused person received the property. Under Section 182(2) CrPC, an offence punishable under section 494 of the Indian Penal Code, or under section 495 of the Indian Penal Code, is covered. A Court in whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed may inquire into or try it.

So may a Court in whose local jurisdiction the offender last resided with the spouse of the offender by the first marriage. So may a Court in whose local jurisdiction permanent residence has been taken up, after the offence was committed, by the wife by the first marriage.

When Section 182 CrPC Applies

  • Under Section 182(1) CrPC, any offence which includes cheating may, if the deception is practised by means of letters or telecommunication messages, be inquired into or tried by any Court within whose local jurisdiction such letters or messages were sent or were received.
  • Under Section 182(1) CrPC, any offence of cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the property was delivered by the person deceived or was received by the accused person.
  • Under Section 182(2) CrPC, any offence punishable under section 494 or section 495 of the Indian Penal Code may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the offender last resided with his or her spouse by the first marriage, or the wife by the first marriage has taken up permanent residence after the commission of the offence.

Example of Section 182 CrPC

Ramesh sends letters from Jaipur to Meena in Bhopal. The letters are part of an offence which includes cheating, and the deception is practised by means of the letters. Under Section 182(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the offence may be inquired into or tried by any Court within whose local jurisdiction the letters were sent, which is Jaipur, or were received, which is Bhopal. Ramesh also dishonestly induces Meena to deliver jewellery. Meena delivers the jewellery in Indore and Ramesh receives the jewellery in Delhi. Under Section 182(1) CrPC, that offence may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the property was delivered by the person deceived, which is Indore, or was received by the accused person, which is Delhi.

When Section 182 CrPC Does Not Apply

  • Section 182(1) CrPC speaks of cheating by means of letters or telecommunication messages. It does not deal with an offence committed on a journey or voyage, which is the subject of Section 183 CrPC.
  • Section 182(2) CrPC speaks of offences punishable under section 494 or section 495 of the Indian Penal Code. It does not deal with the ordinary place of inquiry and trial, which is the subject of Section 177 CrPC.

Section 182 CrPC Under BNSS 202: What Changed

Section 182 CrPC is now covered under Section 202 BNSS.

Section 202 BNSS is headed Offences committed by means of electronic communications, letters, etc where Section 182 CrPC was headed Offences committed by letters, etc. Section 202(1) BNSS adds the words electronic communications or to the means of deception and to the things sent or received. Section 202(2) BNSS cites section 82 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 where Section 182(2) CrPC cited section 494 or section 495 of the Indian Penal Code. The rest of Section 202 BNSS has the same text as Section 182 CrPC.

View detailed comparison (CrPC 182 vs BNSS 202) →

FAQs on Section 182 CrPC

Which Courts may inquire into or try cheating by letters or telecommunication messages under Section 182(1) CrPC?▼

Under Section 182(1) CrPC, any offence which includes cheating may, if the deception is practised by means of letters or telecommunication messages, be inquired into or tried by any Court within whose local jurisdiction such letters or messages were sent or were received.

Where may an offence of cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property be inquired into or tried under Section 182(1) CrPC?▼

Under Section 182(1) CrPC, any offence of cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the property was delivered by the person deceived or was received by the accused person.

Which Courts may inquire into or try an offence under Section 182(2) CrPC?▼

Under Section 182(2) CrPC, any offence punishable under section 494 or section 495 of the Indian Penal Code may be inquired into or tried by a Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or the offender last resided with his or her spouse by the first marriage, or the wife by the first marriage has taken up permanent residence after the commission of the offence.

Where is Section 182 CrPC found in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023?▼

The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 was replaced by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 from 1 July 2024. Section 182(1) CrPC is found in Section 202(1) BNSS and Section 182(2) CrPC in Section 202(2) BNSS.

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Sources: Bare Act Text, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 · Last updated: 26 Oct 2026 ·