Public servant in judicial proceeding corruptly making report, etc., contrary to law
Section 257 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 deals with public servant in judicial proceeding corruptly making report, etc., contrary to law. Whoever, being a public servant, corruptly or maliciously makes or pronounces in any stage of a judicial proceeding, any report, order, verdict, or decision which he knows to be contrary to law, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, or The Act came into force on 01 Jul 2024.
Whoever, being a public servant, corruptly or maliciously makes or pronounces in any stage of a judicial proceeding, any report, order, verdict, or decision which he knows to be contrary to law, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with both.
Section 257, The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act 45 of 2023).
Replaces a provision of the Indian Penal Code
IPC 219 Public servant in judicial proceeding corruptly making report, etc., contrary to law 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 The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force.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.
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
Referred to by 8
- Goa Panchayat Raj Act s. 239 District Planning Committee
- Karnataka Land Reforms Act s. 124 Enquiries and proceedings
- Karnataka Land Reforms Act s. 142 Repeal and savings
- Karnataka Land Revenue Act s. 35 Formal and summary inquiry to be deemed judicial proceedings
- Karnataka Land Revenue Act s. 202 Repeal and Savings
- Karnataka Village Offices Abolition Act s. 10 Inquiries and proceedings to be judicial proceedings
- Karnataka Village Offices Abolition Act s. 12 Repeal and savings
- National Sports Governance Act s. 24 Powers of Tribunal
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public servant in a judicial proceeding corruptly making and pronouncing an order, report, etc. contrary to law. | Imprisonment for 7 years, or fine, or both. | Non-cognizable. | Bailable. | Magistrate of the first class. |
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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Manish vs State of Haryana
Decided under Indian Penal Code 219, which this section replaces. The court did not have this Act before it.
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
In criminal proceedings, witness demeanor must be observed during examination. The trial court cannot delegate the recording of witness statements to a Local Commissioner as this violates Section 275 Cr.P.C. and deprives the court of the opportunity to observe witness demeanor. The appellate court has the power to remit a case to the trial court for limited purpose of recording evidence afresh to ensure procedural correctness and eliminate technical errors.
On this section: Punishment for public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to cause wrongful conviction - conviction section
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 257
What have the courts held on Section 257 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?
Manish vs State of Haryana (08 Oct 2015) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below, though it was decided under IPC 219, which this section replaced -- the court never mentioned this Act: Punishment for public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to cause wrongful conviction - conviction section.
Is Section 257 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita bailable?
Bailable, under the First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
Is Section 257 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 Magistrate of the first class.
How do I find court cases under Section 257 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 257, section 257 BNS, section 257 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. People searching for it also type 257 bns act and 257 bns punishment. 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 Manish vs State of Haryana (08 Oct 2015).
What should I read with Section 257 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and has it changed?
8 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it. It carries forward IPC 219 (Public servant in judicial proceeding corruptly making report, etc., contrary to law), so the judgments decided under that provision are the case law on this one.
When did Section 257 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita come into force?
Section 257 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, cited as BNS 257, 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.
Other sections of this Act
- 2. Definitions2199 words
- 356. Defamation1543 words
- 335. Making a false document1318 words
- 101. Murder1177 words
- 303. Theft1104 words
- 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.