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Section204
The Indian Penal Code, 1860

Destruction of document to prevent its production as evidence

Repealed From 01 Jan 1862 Act 45 of 1860 As on 14 Oct 2026

Act 45 of 1860 Ministry Home Affairs Enacted 06 Oct 1860 In force 01 Jan 1862

This provision is repealed. Repealed by section 358 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024. It is reproduced because conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under it.

Section 204 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 deals with destruction of document to prevent its production as evidence. Whoever secrets or destroys any document which he may be lawfully compelled to produce as evidence in a Court of Justice, or in any proceeding lawfully held before a public servant, as such, or obliterates or renders illegible the whole or any part of such document with the intention of preventing t 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 Repealed by section 358 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and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 secrets or destroys any document which he may be lawfully compelled to produce as evidence in a Court of Justice, or in any proceeding lawfully held before a public servant, as such, or obliterates or renders illegible the whole or any part of such document with the intention of preventing the same from being produced or used as evidence before such Court or public servant as aforesaid, or after he shall have been lawfully summoned or required to produce the same for that purpose, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

Section 204, The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Act 45 of 1860).

Now in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita

BNS 241 Destruction of document or electronic record to prevent its production as evidence Text carried over almost unchanged 85%

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 The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force.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.

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.

  1. Arjun Himagiri vs State of Kerala

    High Court 09 Apr 2021 Persuasive (Other High Court)

    Court's Decision & Legal Precedent

    When the complainant has withdrawn her grievance, the parties have amicably settled their dispute, the prosecution has no serious objection, no public interest is involved, and no fruitful purpose would be served by proceeding with the case, the High Court may exercise its inherent powers under Section 482 CrPC to quash the charge sheet in the interest of justice and to secure the ends of justice.

    On this section: Destruction of document to prevent its production as evidence - one of the charges against the accused

    Read the full order on eCourts India

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 204

What have the courts held on Section 204 of the Indian Penal Code?

Arjun Himagiri vs State of Kerala (09 Apr 2021) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Destruction of document to prevent its production as evidence - one of the charges against the accused.

How do I find court cases under Section 204 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 204, section 204 IPC, section 204 of the Indian Penal Code. People searching for it also type ipc 204 in bns and ipc 204 punishment in hindi. 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 Arjun Himagiri vs State of Kerala (09 Apr 2021).

What should I read with Section 204 of the Indian Penal Code, and has it changed?

For anything done on or after 1 July 2024 the provision to read is BNS 241 (Destruction of document or electronic record to prevent its production as evidence), which replaced it; conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under this section.

When did Section 204 of the Indian Penal Code come into force?

Section 204 of the Indian Penal Code, cited as IPC 204, 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

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.