Threatening any person to give false evidence
Section 232 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 deals with threatening any person to give false evidence. Whoever threatens another with any injury to his person, reputation or property or to the person or reputation of any one in whom that person is interested, with intent to cause that person to give false evidence shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend t The Act came into force on 01 Jul 2024.
(1) Whoever threatens another with any injury to his person, reputation or property or to the person or reputation of any one in whom that person is interested, with intent to cause that person to give false evidence shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with both.
(2) If innocent person is convicted and sentenced in consequence of false evidence referred to in sub-section (1), with death or imprisonment for more than seven years, the person who threatens shall be punished with the same punishment and sentence in the same manner and to the same extent such innocent person is punished and sentenced.
Section 232, The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act 45 of 2023).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
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. This section is classified 2 ways.
| Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threatening any person to give false evidence. | Imprisonment for 7 years, or fine, or both. | Cognizable. | Non-bailable. | Court by which offence of giving false evidence is triable. |
| If innocent person is convicted and sentenced in consequence of false evidence with death, or imprisonment for more than 7 years. | The same as for the offence. | Cognizable. | Non-bailable. | Court by which offence of giving false evidence is triable. |
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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Salib @ Shalu @ Salim vs The State of Uttar Pradesh
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
The threat must be administered with the intent that the person threatened give false evidence, and 'false evidence' means false evidence before a court, read in the sense of Section 191 IPC. Threatening a complainant to withdraw her FIR or to settle the dispute does not attract the section; none of its ingredients being disclosed, the FIR was quashed under the Bhajan Lal parameters.
On this section: The controlling authority on this section: it draws the line between pressure to compromise or withdraw a case, which falls outside it, and threats aimed at procuring false testimony in court, which alone fall within it.
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Questions about Section 232
What have the courts held on Section 232 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?
Salib @ Shalu @ Salim vs The State of Uttar Pradesh (08 Aug 2023) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: The controlling authority on this section: it draws the line between pressure to compromise or withdraw a case, which falls outside it, and threats aimed at procuring false testimony in court, which alone fall within it.
Is Section 232 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita bailable?
Non-bailable, under the First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
Is Section 232 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita cognizable?
Cognizable. "Cognizable" means a police officer may arrest without warrant; "non-cognizable" that they may not. An offence under this section is triable by Court by which offence of giving false evidence is triable.
How do I find court cases under Section 232 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 232, section 232 BNS, section 232 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. People searching for it also type bns 232(1). Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with Salib @ Shalu @ Salim vs The State of Uttar Pradesh (08 Aug 2023).
What should I read with Section 232 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and has it changed?
2 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it.
When did Section 232 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita come into force?
Section 232 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, cited as BNS 232, 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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- 3. General explanations858 words
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.