Chapter XVII (441-462) of IPC

CRIMINAL TRESPASS – INDIAN PENAL CODE (IPC)

441. Criminal Trespass.
Whoever enters into or upon property in possession of another with intent to commit an offence or
to intimidate, insult or annoy and person in possession of such property, or having lawfully entered
into or upon such property, unlawfully remains therewith intent thereby to intimidate, insult or
annoy any such person, or with intent to commit an offence, is said to commit “criminal trespass”.

यदि कोई ऐसी संपत्ति में या ऐसी संपत्ति पर, जो किसी दसू रे के कब्जे में है, इस आशय से प्रवेश करता है, कि वह कोई अपराध करे
या किसी व्यक्ति को, जिसके कब्जे में ऐसी संपत्ति है; भयभीत, अपमानित या परे शान करे , अथवा ऐसी संपत्ति में या ऐसी संपत्ति पर,
विधिपर्वू क प्रवेश करके वहां विधिविरुद्ध रूप में इस आशय से बना रहता है कि तदद्व् ारा वह किसी ऐसे व्यक्ति को भयभीत, अपमानित
या परे शान करे या इस आशय से बना रहता है कि वह कोई अपराध करे , उसे आपराधिक अतिचार करना कहा जाता है।

445. House breaking.

A person is said to commit “house-breaking” who commits house-trespass if he effects his
entrance into the house or any part of it in any of the six ways hereinafter described; or if, being in
the house or any part of it for the purpose of committing an offence, or, having committed an
offence therein, he quits the house or any part of it in any of such six ways, that is to say-
First – If he enters or quits through a passage by himself, or by any abettor of the house-trespass, in
order to the committing of the house-trespass.

Secondly – If he enters or quits through any passage not intended by any person, other than himself
or an abettor of the offence, for human entrance; or through any passage to which he has obtained
access by scaling or climbing over any wall or building.

Thirdly – If he enters or quits through any passage which he or any abettor of the house-trespass
has opened, in order to the committing of the house-trespass by any means by which that passage
was not intended by the occupier of the house to be opened.

Fourthly – If he enters or quits by opening any lock in order to the committing of the house-
trespass, or in order to the quitting of the house after a house-trespass.

Fifthly – If he effects his entrance or departure by using criminal force or committing an assault or
by threatening any person with assault.

Sixthly – If he enters or quits by any passage which he knows to have been fastened against such
entrance or departure, and to have been unfastened by himself or by an abettor of the house-
trespass.

Explanation-
Any out-house or building occupied with a house, and between which and such house there is an
immediate internal communication, is part of the house within the meaning of this section.

Illustrations-
(a) A commits house-trespass by making a hole through the wall of Z’s house, and putting his hand
through the aperture. This is house-breaking. 

(b) A commits house-trespass by creeping into a ship at a port-hole between decks. This is house-
breaking. 
(c) A commits house-trespass by entering Z’s house through a window. This is house-breaking.

(d) A commits house-trespass by entering Z’s house through the door, having opened a door
which was fastened. This is house-breaking.

(e) A commits house-trespass by entering Z’s house through the door, having lifted a latch by
putting a wire through a hole in the door. This is house-breaking.

(f) A finds the key of Z’s house door, which Z had lost, and commits house- trespass by entering Z’s
house, having opened the door with that key. This is house-breaking.

(g) Z is standing in his doorway. A forces a passage by knocking Z down, and commits house-
trespass by entering the house. This is house-breaking.

(h) Z, the door-keeper of Y, is standing in Y’s doorway. A commits house-trespass by entering the
house, having deterred Z from opposing him by threatening to beat him. This is house-breaking.

जो व्यक्ति गहॄ -अतिचार करता है, वह गहॄ -भेदन करता है, यह कहा जाता है, यदि वह उस गहॄ में या उसके किसी भाग में
एत्स्मिनपश्चात् वर्णित छह तरीकों में से किसी तरीके से प्रवेश करता है अथवा यदि वह उस गहॄ में या उसके किसी भाग में अपराध
करने के प्रयोजन से उपस्थित होते हुए, या वहां अपराध करने पर, उस गहॄ से या उसके किसी भाग से ऐसे निम्न छह तरीकों में से
किसी तरीके से बाहर निकलता है, अर्थात: -
(a) यदि वह ऐसे रास्ते से प्रवेश करता है या बाहर निकलता है, जो स्वयं उसने या उस गहॄ -अतिचार के किसी दष्ु प्रेरक ने वह गहॄ -
अतिचार करने के लिए बनाया है,
(b) यदि वह किसी ऐसे रास्ते से, जो उससे या उस अपराध के दष्ु प्रेरक से भिन्न किसी व्यक्ति द्वारा मानव प्रवेश के लिए आशयित नहीं
है, या किसी ऐसे रास्ते से, जिस तक कि वह किसी दीवार या निर्माण पर सीढ़ी द्वारा या अन्यथा चढ़कर पहुचं ा है, प्रवेश करता है
या बाहर निकलता है,
(c) यदि वह किसी ऐसे रास्ते से प्रवेश करता है या बाहर निकलता है जिसको उसने या उस गहॄ -अतिचार के किसी दष्ु प्रेरक ने गहॄ -
अतिचार करने के लिए किसी ऐसे साधन द्वारा खोला है, जिसके द्वारा उस रास्ते का खोला जाना उस गहॄ के अधिभोगी द्वारा
आशयित नहीं था,
(d)यदि उस गहॄ -अतिचार को करने के लिए, या गहॄ -अतिचार के पश्चात् उस गहॄ से निकल जाने के लिए वह किसी ताले
को खोलकर प्रवेश करता या बाहर निकलता है,
(e) यदि वह आपराधिक बल के प्रयोग या हमले या किसी व्यक्ति पर हमला करने की धमकी द्वारा अपना प्रवेश करता है या प्रस्थान
करता है,
(f) यदि वह किसी ऐसे रास्ते से प्रवेश करता है या बाहर निकलता है जिसके बारे में वह जानता है कि वह ऐसे प्रवेश या प्रस्थान को
रोकने के लिए बदं किया हुआ है और अपने द्वारा या उस गहॄ -अतिचार के दष्ु प्रेरक द्वारा खोला गया है।
स्पष्टीकरण - कोई उपगहॄ या निर्माण जो किसी गहॄ के साथ-साथ अधिभोग में है, और जिसके और ऐसे गहॄ के बीच आने जाने का
अव्यवहित भीतरी रास्ता है, इस धारा के अर्थ के अंतर्गत उस गहॄ का भाग है।

446. House-breaking by night.

Whoever commits house-breaking after sunset and before sunrise, is said to commit “house-
breaking by night”.

452. House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or

wrongful restraint.
Whoever commits house-trespass, having made preparation for causing hurt to any person or for
assaulting any person, or for wrongfully restraining any person, or for putting any person in fear of
hurt, or of assault, or of wrongful restraint, shall be punished with imprisonment of either
description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE
Punishment—Imprisonment for 7 years and fine—Cognizable—Non-bailable— Triable by any
Magistrate—Non-compoundable.

453. Punishment for lurking house-trespass or house-

breaking.
Whoever commits lurking house-trespass or house-breaking, shall be punished with imprisonment
of either description for a term which may extend to two years, and shall also be liable to fine.

जो कोई प्रच्छन्न गृह-अतिचार या गृह-भेदन करे गा, वह दोनों में से किसी भाति
ं के कारावास से, जिसकी अवधि दो वर्ष तक की हो
सके गी, दडि
ं त किया जाएगा और जर्मा
ु ने से भी दडं नीय होगा।

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE
Punishment—Imprisonment for 2 years and fine—Cognizable—Non-bailable— Triable by any
Magistrate—Non-compoundable.

454. Lurking house-trespass or house-breaking in order to

commit offence punishable with imprisonment.
Whoever commits lurking house-trespass or house-breaking, in order to the committing of any
offence punishable with imprisonment, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description
for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine; and if the offence
intended to be committed is theft, the term of the imprisonment may be extended to ten years.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE
Para I : Punishment—Imprisonment for 3 years and fine—Cognizable—Non- bailable—Triable by
any Magistrate—Non-compoundable.
Para II : Punishment—Imprisonment for 10 years and fine—Cognizable—Non- bailable—Triable
by Magistrate of the first class—Non-compounded.

जो भी कोई कारावास से दण्डनीय अपराध करने के लिए छिप कर गहॄ -अतिचार या गहॄ -भेदन करता है, तो उसे किसी एक अवधि के
लिए कारावास जिसे तीन वर्ष तक बढ़ाया जा सकता है से दण्डित किया जाएगा और साथ ही वह आर्थिक दण्ड के लिए भी उत्तरदायी
होगा। तथा यदि वह अपराध जिसका आशय चोरी करना हो, तो कारावास की अवधि दस वर्ष तक की हो सके गी।
लागू अपराध
1. कारावास से दण्डनीय अपराध करने के लिए छिप कर गहॄ -अतिचार या गहॄ -भेदन करना।
सजा - तीन वर्ष कारावास + आर्थिक दण्ड।
यह एक गैर-जमानती, संज्ञेय अपराध है और किसी भी मेजिस्ट्रेट द्वारा विचारणीय है।
2. यदि अपराध चोरी है।
सजा - दस वर्ष कारावास + आर्थिक दण्ड।
यह एक गैर-जमानती, संज्ञेय अपराध है और प्रथम श्रेणी के मेजिस्ट्रेट द्वारा विचारणीय है।
यह समझौता करने योग्य नहीं है।
अपराध सजा संज्ञेय जमानत विचारणीय
कारावास के साथ दडं नीय अपराध के आयोग के लिए घर-अतिचार या घर 3 साल + सज्ञं ेय गैर किसी भी
तोड़ने के क्रम में गप्तु जर्मा
ु ना जमानती मजिस्ट्रेट
संज्ञेय
 10 साल + गैर किसी भी
यदि अपराध चोरी हो जर्मा
ु ना जमानती मजिस्ट्रेट

455. Lurking house-trespass or house-breaking after

preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint.
Whoever commits lurking house-trespass, or house-breaking, having made preparation for causing
hurt to any person, or for assaulting any person, or for wrongfully restraining any person, or for
putting any person in fear of hurt, or of assault, or of wrongful restraint, shall be punished with
imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be
liable to fine.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE
Punishment—Imprisonment for 10 years and fine—Cognizable—Non-bailable— Triable by
Magistrate of the first class—Non-compoundable.

जो कोई किसी व्यक्ति को उपहति कारित करने की या किसी व्यक्ति पर हमला करने की या किसी व्यक्ति का सदोष अवरोध करने की
अथवा किसी व्यक्ति को उपहति के , या हमले के , या सदोष अवरोध के भय में डालने की तैयारी करके , प्रच्छन्न गहॄ -अतिचार या
गहॄ -भेदन करे गा, वह दोनों में से किसी भाति
ं के कारावास से, जिसकी अवधि दस वर्ष तक की हो सके गी, दडिं त किया जाएगा और
जर्मा
ु ने से भी दडं नीय होगा ।
अपराध सजा संज्ञेय जमानत विचारणीय
चोट, मारपीट आदि पैदा करने की तैयारी के बाद गप्तु घर-अतिचार 10 साल + प्रथम श्रेणी का
संज्ञेय गैर जमानतीय
या घर तोड़ना जर्मा
ु ना मजिस्ट्रेट

456. Punishment for lurking house-trespass or house-breaking

by night.
Whoever commits lurking house-trespass by night, or house-breaking by night, shall be punished
with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also
be liable to fine.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE
Punishment—Imprisonment for 3 years and fine—Cognizable—Non-bailable— Triable by any
Magistrate—Non-compoundable.

457. Lurking house-trespass or house-breaking by night in

order to commit offence punishable with imprisonment.
Whoever commits lurking house-trespass by night, or house-breaking by night, in order to the
committing of any offence punishable with imprisonment, shall be punished with imprisonment of
either description for a term which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to fine; and, if
the offence intended to be committed is theft, the term of the imprisonment may be extended to
fourteen years.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE
Para I: Punishment—Imprisonment for 5 years and fine—Cognizable—Non- bailable—Triable by
Magistrate of the first class—Non-compoundable.
Para II: Punishment—Imprisonment for 14 years and fine—Cognizable—Non- bailable—Triable
by Magistrate of the first class.
458. Lurking house-trespass or house-breaking by night after
preparation for hurt, assault, or wrongful restraint.
Whoever commits lurking house-trespass by night, or house-breaking by night, having made
preparation for causing hurt to any person or for assaulting any person, or for wrongfully
restraining any person, or for putting any person in fear of hurt, or of assault, or of wrongful
restraint, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to
fourteen years, and shall also be liable to fine.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE
Punishment—Imprisonment for 14 years and fine—Cognizable—Non-bailable— Triable by
Magistrate of the first class—Non-compoundable.

जो भी कोई किसी व्यक्ति को क्षति पहुचँ ाने या उस पर हमला करने या उसका सदोष अवरोघ करने की अथवा किसी व्यक्ति को क्षति,
या हमले, या सदोष अवरोध के भय में डालने की तैयारी करके , रात में छिप कर गहॄ -अतिचार या गहॄ -भेदन करे गा, तो उसे किसी एक
अवधि के लिए कारावास जिसे चौदह वर्ष तक बढ़ाया जा सकता है से दण्डित किया जाएगा और साथ ही वह आर्थिक दण्ड के लिए
भी उत्तरदायी होगा।
लागू अपराध
क्षति आदि की तैयारी करके रात में छिप कर गहॄ -अतिचार या गहॄ -भेदन करना।
सजा - चौदह वर्ष कारावास और आर्थिक दण्ड।
यह एक गैर-जमानती, संज्ञेय अपराध है और प्रथम श्रेणी के मेजिस्ट्रेट द्वारा विचारणीय है।
यह समझौता करने योग्य नहीं है।
अपराध सजा संज्ञेय जमानत विचारणीय
रात तक गप्तु घर-अतिचार या घर तोड़ना, चोट पहुचं ाने आदि की 14 साल + प्रथम श्रेणी का
सज्ञं ेय गैर जमानतीय
तैयारी के बाद जर्मा
ु ना मजिस्ट्रेट

459. Grievous hurt caused whilst committing lurking house

trespass or house-breaking.
Whoever, whilst committing lurking house-trespass or house-breaking, causes grievous hurt to any
person or attempts to cause death or grievous hurt to any person, shall be punished with
imprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten
years, and shall also be liable to fine.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE
Punishment—Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for 10 years and fine— Cognizable—Non-
bailable—Triable by Court of Session—Non-compoundable.

460. All persons jointly concerned in lurking house-trespass or

house- breaking by night punishable where death or grievous
hurt caused by one of them.
If, at the time of the committing of lurking house-trespass by night or house- breaking by night, any
person guilty of such offence shall voluntarily cause or attempt to cause death or grievous hurt to
any person, every person jointly concerned in committing such lurking house-trespass by night or
house-breaking by night, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of
either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE
Punishment—Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for 10 years and fine— Cognizable—Non-
bailable—Triable by Court of Session—Non-compoundable.

CHAPTER XVII
Section 378-382 of INDIAN PENAL CODE (IPC) –
OFFENCES AGAINST PROPERTY
Of Theft

378. Theft.
Whoever, intending to take dishonestly any moveable property out of the possession of any person
without that person’s consent, moves that property in order to such taking, is said to commit theft.

Explanation 1-
A thing so long as it is attached to the earth, not being movable property, is not the subject of theft;
but it becomes capable of being the subject of theft as soon as it is severed from the earth.

Explanation 2-
A moving effected by the same act which affects the severance may be a theft.

Explanation 3-
A person is said to cause a thing to move by removing an obstacle which prevented it from moving
or by separating it from any other thing, as well as by actually moving it.

Explanation 4-
A person, who by any means causes an animal to move, is said to move that animal, and to move
everything which, in consequence of the motion so caused, is moved by that animal.

Explanation 5-
The consent mentioned in the definition may be express or implied, and may be given either by the
person in possession, or by any person having for the purpose authority either express or implied.

Illustrations-
(a) A cuts down a tree on Z’s ground, with the intention of dishonestly taking the tree out of Z’s
possession without Z’s consent. Here, as soon as A has severed the tree in order to such taking, he
has committed theft.

(b) A puts a bait for dogs in his pocket, and thus induces Z’s dog to follow it. Here, if A’s intention
be dishonestly to take the dog out of Z’s possession without Z’s consent. A has committed theft as
soon as Z’s dog has begun to follow A.

(c) A meets a bullock carrying a box of treasure. He drives the bullock in a certain direction, in
order that he may dishonestly take the treasure. As soon as the bullock begins to move, A has
committed theft of the treasure.

(d) A, being Z’s servant, and entrusted by Z with the care of Z’s plate, dishonestly runs away with
the plate, without Z’s consent. A has committed theft.

(e) Z, going on a journey, entrusts his plate to A, the keeper of the warehouse, till Z shall return. A
carries the plate to a goldsmith and sells it. Here the plate was not in Z’s possession. It could not
therefore be taken out of Z’s possession, and A has not committed theft, though he may have
committed criminal breach of trust.
(f) A finds a ring belonging to Z on a table in the house which Z occupies. Here the ring is in Z’s
possession, and if A dishonestly removes it, A commits theft.

(g) A finds a ring lying on the highroad, not in the possession of any person. A by taking it, commits
no theft, though he may commit criminal misappropriation of property.

(h) A sees a ring belonging to Z lying on a table in Z’s house. Not venturing to misappropriate the
ring immediately for fear of search and detection, A hides the ring in a place where it is highly
improbable that it will ever be found by Z, with the intention of taking the ring from the hiding
place and selling it when the loss is forgotten. Here A, at the time of first moving the ring, commits
theft.

(i) A delivers his watch to Z, a jeweller, to be regulated. Z carries it to his shop. A, not owing to the
jeweller any debt for which the jeweller might lawfully detain the watch as a security, enters the
shop openly, takes his watch by force out of Z’s hand, and carries it away. Here A, though he may
have committed criminal trespass and assault, has not committed theft, in as much as what he did
was not done dishonestly.

(j) If A owes money to Z for repairing the watch, and if Z retains the watch lawfully as a security
for the debt, and A takes the watch out of Z’s possession, with the intention of depriving Z of the
property as a security for his debt, he commits theft, in as much as he takes it dishonestly.

(k) Again, if A, having pawned his watch to Z, takes it out of Z’s possession without Z’s consent,
not having paid what he borrowed on the watch, he commits theft, though the watch is his own
property in as much as he takes it dishonestly.

(l) A takes an article belonging to Z out of Z’s possession, without Z’s consent, with the intention of
keeping it until he obtains money from Z as a reward for its restoration. Here A takes dishonestly;
A has therefore committed theft.

(m) A, being on friendly terms with Z, goes into Z’s library in Z’s absence, and takes away a book
without Z’s express consent for the purpose merely of reading it, and with the intention of returning
it. Here, it is probable that A may have conceived that he had Z’s implied consent to use Z’s book.
If this was A’s impression, A has not committed theft.

(n) A asks charity from Z’s wife. She gives A money, food and clothes, which A knows to belong to
Z her husband. Here it is probable that A may conceive that Z’s wife is authorised to give away
alms. If this was A’s impression, A has not committed theft.

(o) A is the paramour of Z’s wife. She gives a valuable property, which A knows to belong to her
husband Z, and to be such property as she has no authority from Z to give. If A takes the property
dishonestly, he commits theft.

(p) A, in good faith, believing property belonging to Z to be A’s own property, takes that property
out of B’s possession. Here, as A does not take dishonestly, he does not commit theft.

379. Punishment for theft.

Whoever commits theft shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which
may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE
Punishment—Imprisonment for 3 years, or fine, or both—Cognizable—Non- bailable—Triable by
any Magistrate—Compoundable by the owner of the property stolen with the permission of the
court.
380. Theft in dwelling house, etc.
Whoever commits theft in any building, tent or vessel, which building, tent or vessel is used as a
human dwelling, or used for the custody of property, shall be punished with imprisonment of either
description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE
Punishment—Imprisonment for 7 years and fine—Cognizable—Non-bailable— Triable by any
Magistrate—Non-compoundable.

381. Theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of

master.
Whoever, being a clerk or servant, or being employed in the capacity of a clerk or servant, commits
theft in respect of any property in the possession of his master or employer, shall be punished with
imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be
liable to fine.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE
Punishment—Imprisonment for 7 years and fine—Cognizable—Non-bailable— Triable by any
Magistrate—Compounded by the owner of the property stolen with the permission of the court.

382. Theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or

restraint in order to the committing of the theft.
Whoever commits theft, having made preparation for causing death, or hurt, or restraint, or fear of
death, or of hurt, or of restraint, to any person, in order to the committing of such theft, or in order
to the effecting of his escape after the committing of such theft, or in order to the retaining of
property taken by such theft, shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may
extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Illustrations-
(a) A commits theft on property in Z’s possession; and, while committing this theft, he has a loaded
pistol under his garment, having provided this pistol for the purpose of hurting Z in case Z should
resist. A has committed the offence defined in this section.

(b) A picks Z’s pocket, having posted several of his companions near him, in order that they may
restrain Z, if Z should perceive what is passing and should resist, or should attempt to apprehend
A. A has committed the offence defined in this section.