Section 26 IPC: “Reason to believe”

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 26 IPC at a Glance

Section 26 IPC defines the term “Reason to believe”. From 1 July 2024 it is replaced by Section 2(29) BNS.

Punishment

None. Section 26 IPC creates no offence.

BNS Equivalent

Section 26 IPC Bare Act Text

26. “Reason to believe”
A person is said to have “reason to believe” a thing, if he has sufficient cause to believe that thing but not otherwise.

Source: Section 26, Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 26 IPC in Simple Words

Section 26 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) defines the phrase reason to believe. A person has reason to believe a thing if he has sufficient cause to believe that thing, and not otherwise. Belief without sufficient cause does not meet the test. The section creates no offence and sets no punishment; it fixes the meaning of a phrase used in other sections.

Ingredients of Section 26 IPC

A thing which the person is said to have reason to believe
Sufficient cause to believe that thing

Punishment Under Section 26 IPC

Imprisonment

None. Section 26 IPC creates no offence.

Fine

None.

Section 26 IPC is a definition. It has no entry in the First Schedule to the CrPC.

Example of Section 26 IPC

In 2022 in Mysuru, Kunal came to Shashi's garage late at night offering to sell a motorcycle for one-fifth of its market price. The motorcycle had a broken ignition lock, its number plate was scratched over, and Kunal could not produce the registration card, insurance paper, or key when Shashi asked for them. Those concrete facts gave Shashi sufficient cause to believe that the motorcycle was stolen property. Because Shashi had sufficient cause to believe that the motorcycle was stolen, he had reason to believe it under Section 26 IPC.

When Section 26 IPC Does Not Apply

Section 26 IPC does not apply when a person acts on a vague personal suspicion without any objective facts giving sufficient cause to believe the thing.
Section 26 IPC does not apply when someone makes a blind assumption that happens by chance to be true, because there was no sufficient cause for the belief at the time.
Section 26 IPC does not apply when a buyer purchases goods at their normal market price from an established dealer with a regular invoice and has no ground to suspect any defect in title.

Section 26 IPC in the BNS

Section 26 IPC is now covered under Section 2(29) BNS.

Section 2(29) BNS carries the definition word for word. It is now a clause of the definitions section, headed reason to believe, in place of a section of its own. No word of the test is added or removed.

View detailed comparison (IPC 26 vs BNS 2(29)) →

FAQs on Section 26 IPC

What does Section 26 IPC define?▼

The phrase reason to believe. A person is said to have reason to believe a thing if he has sufficient cause to believe that thing but not otherwise.

Under Section 26 IPC, what do the words but not otherwise add?▼

They make sufficient cause the only ground. A belief without sufficient cause behind it is not reason to believe.

Under Section 26 IPC, does the section say what counts as sufficient cause?▼

No. The text sets no further test. Whether the cause is sufficient is decided on the facts of each case.

Under Section 26 IPC, where does the phrase matter?▼

In offences that name it as an ingredient, such as Section 411 IPC on dishonestly receiving stolen property knowing or having reason to believe it stolen.

Does Section 26 IPC create an offence?▼

No. It fixes the meaning of the phrase and sets no punishment. The punishment comes from the section charged.

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Sources: Bare Act Text, Indian Penal Code, 1860 · Last updated: 16 Oct 2026 ·