Taking gift to help to recover stolen property, etc
Section 215 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 deals with taking gift to help to recover stolen property, etc. Whoever takes or agrees or consents to take any gratification under pretence or on account of helping any person to recover any movable property of which he shall have been deprived by any offence punishable under this Code, shall, unless he uses all means in his power to cause the offender to be ap 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 Repealed by section 358 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and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 takes or agrees or consents to take any gratification under pretence or on account of helping any person to recover any movable property of which he shall have been deprived by any offence punishable under this Code, shall, unless he uses all means in his power to cause the offender to be apprehended and convicted of the offence, be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
Section 215, The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Act 45 of 1860).
Now in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
BNS 252 Taking gift to help to recover stolen property, etc 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 The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force.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.
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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Arshad vs State of Rajasthan through P P
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
Criminal antecedents and involvement in multiple prior criminal cases constitute a material consideration in bail applications under Section 439 CrPC, and where an accused is established to be a habitual offender with a pattern of similar crimes, the court may refuse bail notwithstanding other circumstances.
On this section: Offence of giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction for offence punishable with life or 7+ years imprisonment; cited as one of the charges
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Banwari vs State of Rajasthan through Pp
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When a co-accused in the same criminal case has been granted bail by the High Court, and the petitioner has been in custody for a substantial period without trial, the High Court may grant regular bail under Section 439 CrPC without expressing opinion on case merits, subject to the Trial Court's satisfaction of bail conditions.
On this section: Offence of giving or fabricating false evidence; charge against petitioner
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 215
What have the courts held on Section 215 of the Indian Penal Code?
Arshad vs State of Rajasthan through P P (01 May 2017) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Offence of giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction for offence punishable with life or 7+ years imprisonment; cited as one of the charges. Another 1 judgment on this section is set out below. They run from 2016 to 2017.
How do I find court cases under Section 215 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 215, section 215 IPC, section 215 of the Indian Penal Code. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 2 reported judgments on this section are set out on this page, beginning with Arshad vs State of Rajasthan through P P (01 May 2017).
What should I read with Section 215 of the Indian Penal Code, and has it changed?
For anything done on or after 1 July 2024 the provision to read is BNS 252 (Taking gift to help to recover stolen property, etc), which replaced it; conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under this section.
When did Section 215 of the Indian Penal Code come into force?
Section 215 of the Indian Penal Code, cited as IPC 215, 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.