Illegal purchase or bid for property offered for sale by authority of public servant
Section 220 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 deals with illegal purchase or bid for property offered for sale by authority of public servant. Whoever, at any sale of property held by the lawful authority of a public servant, as such, purchases or bids for any property on account of any person, whether himself or any other, whom he knows to be under a legal incapacity to purchase that property at that sale, or bids for such property not in The Act came into force on 01 Jul 2024.
Whoever, at any sale of property held by the lawful authority of a public servant, as such, purchases or bids for any property on account of any person, whether himself or any other, whom he knows to be under a legal incapacity to purchase that property at that sale, or bids for such property not intending to perform the obligations under which he lays himself by such bidding, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one month, or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both.
Section 220, The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act 45 of 2023).
Replaces a provision of the Indian Penal Code
IPC 185 Illegal purchase or bid for property offered for sale by authority of public servant Text carried over almost unchanged 100%
Measured by comparing the text of the two provisions, not taken from an official correspondence table — there is no machine-readable one. See both texts side by side before relying on it.
Both regimes are live. The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force. We never redirect one to the other.
How this offence is classified
From the First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, which classifies every offence under the Sanhita. Cognizable means a police officer may arrest without warrant; bailable means bail is a matter of right rather than of the court's discretion.
| Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illegal purchase or bid for property offered for sale by authority of public servant. | Imprisonment for 1 month, or fine of 200 rupees, or both. | Non-cognizable. | Bailable. | Any Magistrate. |
Questions about Section 220
What does Section 220 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita deal with?
Section 220 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita is headed "Illegal purchase or bid for property offered for sale by authority of public servant". Whoever, at any sale of property held by the lawful authority of a public servant, as such, purchases or bids for any property on account of any person, whether himself or any other, whom he knows to be under a legal incapacity to purchase that property at that sale, or bids for such property not in
Is Section 220 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita bailable?
Bailable, under the First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
Is Section 220 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita cognizable?
Non-cognizable. "Cognizable" means a police officer may arrest without warrant; "non-cognizable" that they may not. An offence under this section is triable by Any Magistrate.
How do I find court cases under Section 220 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: BNS 220, section 220 BNS, section 220 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. People searching for it also type 220 bns act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.
What should I read with Section 220 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and has it changed?
It carries forward IPC 185 (Illegal purchase or bid for property offered for sale by authority of public servant), so the judgments decided under that provision are the case law on this one.
When did Section 220 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita come into force?
Section 220 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, cited as BNS 220, came into force on 01 Jul 2024, having been enacted on 25 Dec 2023. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
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Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 14 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.