Section 201 IPC: Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender
Indian Penal Code, 1860
Section 201 IPC at a Glance
Section 201 IPC deals with causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender. It is bailable; from 1 July 2024 it is replaced by Section 238 BNS.
Where the offence concealed is punishable with death, imprisonment of either description for up to seven years. Where it is punishable with imprisonment for life or up to ten years, imprisonment of either description for up to three years. Where it is punishable with imprisonment for any term not extending to ten years, imprisonment of the description provided for that offence, for up to one-fourth of its longest term.
Section 201 IPC Bare Act Text
201. Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender
Whoever, knowing or having reason to believe that an offence has been committed, causes any evidence of the commission of that offence to disappear, with the intention of screening the offender from legal punishment, or with that intention gives any information respecting the offence which he knows or believes to be false,
if a capital offence.—shall, if the offence which he knows or believes to have been committed is punishable with death be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine;
if punishable with imprisonment for life.—and if the offence is punishable with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment which may extend to ten years, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine;
if punishable with less than ten years’ imprisonment.—and if the offence is punishable with imprisonment for any term not extending to ten years, shall be punished with imprisonment of the description provided for the offence, for a term which may extend to one-fourth part of the longest term of the imprisonment provided for the offence, or with fine, or with both.
IllustrationA, knowing that B has murdered Z, assists B to hide the body with the intention of screening B from punishment. A is liable to imprisonment of either description for seven years, and also to fine.
Source: Section 201, Indian Penal Code, 1860
Section 201 IPC in Simple Words
Section 201 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) punishes a person who, knowing or having reason to believe that an offence has been committed, causes any evidence of it to disappear, or gives information respecting it which he knows or believes to be false. The act must be done with the intention of screening the offender from legal punishment. The punishment is graded by the offence that the accused knows or believes to have been committed.
For an offence punishable with death it is imprisonment of either description for up to seven years and fine. For an offence punishable with imprisonment for life or up to ten years it is imprisonment of either description for up to three years and fine. For an offence punishable with imprisonment for any term not extending to ten years it is imprisonment of the description provided for that offence, for up to one-fourth of its longest term, or fine, or both.
The offence is bailable in every tier.
Ingredients of Section 201 IPC
- The accused knew or had reason to believe that the offence had been committed
- The accused caused evidence of the commission of that offence to disappear, or gave information respecting it which he knew or believed to be false
- The accused acted with the intention of screening the offender from legal punishment
Punishment Under Section 201 IPC
Where the offence concealed is punishable with death, imprisonment of either description for up to seven years. Where it is punishable with imprisonment for life or up to ten years, imprisonment of either description for up to three years. Where it is punishable with imprisonment for any term not extending to ten years, imprisonment of the description provided for that offence, for up to one-fourth of its longest term.
Fine is added in the first two tiers. In the third the offender may be punished with fine alone, or with both imprisonment and fine.
The First Schedule grades this offence in three tiers by the offence concealed. It is bailable in every tier. Where the offence concealed is punishable with death, cognizance follows that offence and the Court of Session tries it. In the other two tiers it is non-cognizable, tried by a Magistrate of the first class where that offence carries life or up to ten years, and by the court by which that offence is triable where it carries less than ten years.
- Cognizable: Cognizable or non-cognizable according as the offence concealed is cognizable or non-cognizable, where that offence is punishable with death; otherwise non-cognizable
The punishment is graded by the offence concealed and falls as that offence becomes less serious. The offence is bailable in every tier.
Example of Section 201 IPC
When Section 201 IPC Does Not Apply
- Section 201 IPC does not apply when no offence has actually been committed, or when the person neither knew nor had reason to believe that an offence had been committed.
- Section 201 IPC does not apply if the person neither caused any evidence of the offence to disappear nor gave information about it that he knew or believed to be false.
- Section 201 IPC does not apply where evidence was removed or discarded without the intention of screening the offender from legal punishment.
- Section 201 IPC does not apply when a person bound by law to report an offence merely stays silent without destroying evidence or giving false information, as that omission is governed by Section 202 IPC.
Section 201 IPC in the BNS
Section 201 IPC is now covered under Section 238 BNS.
Section 201 IPC is now Section 238 BNS, with the same title, the same words and the same punishments. The BNS sets the three punishments out as clauses a, b and c and drops the marginal headings that labelled them in the IPC. The illustration is the same.
View detailed comparison (IPC 201 vs BNS 238) →FAQs on Section 201 IPC
What does Section 201 IPC provide?▼
It punishes a person who, knowing or having reason to believe that an offence has been committed, causes evidence of it to disappear or gives information respecting it which he knows or believes to be false, with the intention of screening the offender from legal punishment.
What is the punishment under Section 201 IPC?▼
It is graded by the offence concealed. Imprisonment of either description for up to seven years and fine applies where that offence is punishable with death. For one punishable with imprisonment for life or up to ten years it is up to three years and fine. For one punishable with imprisonment for any term not extending to ten years it is up to one-fourth of the longest term provided for that offence, or fine, or both.
Is an offence under Section 201 IPC cognizable?▼
Where the offence concealed is punishable with death, the First Schedule makes it cognizable or non-cognizable according as that offence is. In the other two tiers it lists the offence as non-cognizable.
Is an offence under Section 201 IPC bailable?▼
Yes. The First Schedule lists it as bailable in all three tiers.
Which court tries an offence under Section 201 IPC?▼
The Court of Session where the offence concealed is punishable with death, and a Magistrate of the first class where it is punishable with imprisonment for life or up to ten years. Where it is punishable with less than ten years, the court by which the offence is triable.
Can an offence under Section 201 IPC be compounded?▼
No. It is not listed in Section 320 CrPC.
Where is Section 201 IPC in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?▼
In Section 238 BNS.
Under Section 201 IPC, does it matter what the accused intended?▼
Yes. The act must be done with the intention of screening the offender from legal punishment, and the same intention is needed for giving the information.
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Sources: Bare Act Text, Indian Penal Code, 1860 · Last updated: 16 Oct 2026 ·