False information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person
Section 182 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 deals with false information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person. Whoever gives to any public servant any information which he knows or believes to be false, intending thereby to cause, or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby cause such public servant- (a) to do or omit anything which such public servant ought not to do or omit if the true state of facts r The Act came into force on 01 Jan 1862. Repealed by section 358 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under it.
Whoever gives to any public servant any information which he knows or believes to be false, intending thereby to cause, or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby cause such public servant-
(a) to do or omit anything which such public servant ought not to do or omit if the true state of facts respecting which such information is given were known by him, or
(b) to use the lawful power of such public servant to the injury or annoyance of any person,
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.
1. Ins. by Act 3 of 1894, s. 5
2. Subs. by Act 3 of 1951, s. 3 and sch. for "the States".
3. Ins. by Act 10 of 1873, s. 15.
4. Subs. by Act 3 of 1895, s. 1, for the original s. 182.
Illustrations
(a) A informs a Magistrate that Z, a police-officer, subordinate to such Magistrate, has been guilty of neglect of duty or misconduct, knowing such information to be false, and knowing it to be likely that the information will cause the Magistrate to dismiss Z. A has committed the offence defined in this section.
(b) A falsely informs a public servant that Z has contraband salt in a secret place, knowing such information to be false, and knowing that it is likely that the consequence of the information will be a search of Z's premises, attended with annoyance to Z. A has committed the offence defined in this section.
(c) A falsely informs a policeman that he has been assaulted and robbed in the neighbourhood of a particular village. He does not mention the name of any person as one of his assailants, but knows it to be likely that in consequence of this information the police will make enquiries and institute searches in the village to the annoyance of the villagers or some of them. A has committed an offence under this section.]
Section 182, The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Act 45 of 1860).
Now in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
BNS 217 False information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to injury of another person Text carried over almost unchanged 96%
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 5
- Chhatisgarh Vinirdishta Bhrashta Acharam Nivaram Adhiniyam s. 39 Congnizance of offences
- Companies Act s. 348 Information as to pending liquidations
- Companies Act, 1956 No. 1 of 1956 s. 454
- Companies Act, 1956 No. 1 of 1956 s. 551
- Madhya Pradesh Vinirdisht Bhrashtachar Nivaran Adhiniyam, 1982 tatha Uske Adheen Banaye Gaye Niyam s. 39 Congnizance of offences
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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Saloni Arora vs State of Nct of Delhi
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
Prosecution for offences under Section 182 IPC (giving false information to public servant) can only be initiated through strict compliance with Section 195 Code of Criminal Procedure, which mandates that the written complaint must be made by the concerned public servant themselves. Any prosecution initiated in violation of this mandatory procedure is void ab initio and all cognizance taken by courts in such cases is without jurisdiction.
On this section: Offence of giving false information to public servant with intent to cause wrongful loss or injury. Court held that prosecution under this section can only be initiated through written complaint from the concerned public servant, not through regular police investigation.
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.
Judgments citing this section
These may be obiter dicta or a precedent, for you to study. These are the judgments where this section is quoted.
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… Fifthly, on 30.10.2017, it has been stated that neither payment of publication of matter received nor matter for publication received with an intent to cause injury to another person and thereby you have committed an offence punishable under Section 182 of Indian Penal Code and within the cognizance of this Court. Lastly, you have not published the matter given to you and furnish false reports and mis-guided the court as well as did not file the reply of show cause notice and intentionally omitted to give such assistance to the public servant in execution of his …
Questions about Section 182
What have the courts held on Section 182 of the Indian Penal Code?
Saloni Arora vs State of Nct of Delhi (10 Jan 2017) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Offence of giving false information to public servant with intent to cause wrongful loss or injury. Court held that prosecution under this section can only be initiated through written complaint from the concerned public servant, not through regular police investigation.
How do I find court cases under Section 182 of the Indian Penal Code?
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: IPC 182, section 182 IPC, section 182 of the Indian Penal Code. People searching for it also type ipc 182 in bns and ipc 182 and 211. 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 Saloni Arora vs State of Nct of Delhi (10 Jan 2017).
What should I read with Section 182 of the Indian Penal Code, and has it changed?
5 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it. For anything done on or after 1 July 2024 the provision to read is BNS 217 (False information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to injury of another person), which replaced it; conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under this section.
When did Section 182 of the Indian Penal Code come into force?
Section 182 of the Indian Penal Code, cited as IPC 182, came into force on 01 Jan 1862, having been enacted on 06 Oct 1860. It is no longer in force.
Other sections of this Act
- 499. Defamation1512 words
- 464. Making a false document1223 words
- 300. Murder1172 words
- 378. Theft980 words
- 108. Abettor745 words
- 403. Dishonest misappropriation of property727 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. Recovered from the consolidated text published by India Code (item 7b7d4fe6-206b-4e33-81f1-b98b018acaf6). This page is not a substitute for legal advice.