Skip to content

Section 351(1) of The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023

Section 351(1) BNS, BNS 351(1)
Section 351(1) BNS, BNS 351(1)

Section 351(1) BNS or BNS 351(1) As Per The Government of India

Check for Amazing Discount on Electronic Gadgets*

Section 351(1) BNS | BNS 351(1)

(1) Whoever threatens another by any means, with any injury to his person, reputation or property, or to the person or reputation of any one in whom that person is interested, with intent to cause alarm to that person, or to cause that person to do any act which he is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do any act which that person is legally entitled to do, as the means of avoiding the execution of such threat, commits criminal intimidation.

Check for Amazing Discount on Electronic Gadgets*

Explanation.— A threat to injure the reputation of any deceased person in whom the person threatened is interested, is within this section.

Illustration.

A, for the purpose of inducing B to resist from prosecuting a civil suit, threatens to burn B’s house. A is guilty of criminal intimidation.

Read: Section 351 BNS

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is Section 351(1) BNS (BNS 351(1))?

Section 351(1) BNS, also referred to as BNS 351(1), is an important legal provision that addresses the crime of criminal intimidation. This section outlines what constitutes a criminal threat and the legal implications for those who use intimidation to influence others.

Section 351(1) BNS deals with criminal intimidation, which occurs when someone threatens another person with harm to their person, reputation, or property. The key element of this section is that the threat must be intended to create fear or to compel the victim to act in a certain way. This could involve forcing someone to do something they are not legally required to do or to avoid doing something they are legally allowed to do.

Breaking Down the Law
At its core, BNS 351(1) covers several types of threats:

Physical Injury: Threatening to cause physical harm to someone.

Damage to Reputation: Threatening to harm someone’s reputation, which can include spreading false information or making disparaging remarks.

Property Damage: Threatening to damage or destroy someone’s property.

The law also specifies that threats made against deceased individuals, particularly those who were important to the person being threatened, fall under this section 351(1) BNS. For instance, if someone threatens to damage the reputation of a deceased person who was important to the victim, this is also considered criminal intimidation under Section 351(1) BNS.

The Intent Behind the Threat
The core of BNS 351(1) is about the nature and impact of threats. For an action to be considered criminal intimidation, the threat must be significant enough to:

Causing Alarm: The threat should be serious enough to make the victim fearful for their safety or well-being.

Manipulating Actions: The threat must be used to influence the victim’s actions, either by forcing them to perform an act they are not legally required to or by preventing them from doing something they have the right to do.

Practical Example of Section 351(1) BNS
To better understand BNS 351(1), let’s look at a practical example. Imagine Person A wants to stop Person B from pursuing a civil lawsuit. To achieve this, Person A threatens to burn down Person B’s house if they don’t withdraw the lawsuit. This threat is a clear example of criminal intimidation because Person A is using the threat to create fear and pressure Person B into withdrawing their legal claim. In this case, Person A’s actions fall under Section 351(1) BNS as it involves using threats to influence someone’s legal actions.

Legal Consequences of Criminal Intimidation
If someone is found guilty of criminal intimidation under Section 351(1) BNS, they can face serious legal consequences. The severity of the penalties depends on the nature of the threat and the circumstances surrounding the case. Penalties might include fines, imprisonment, or both, depending on how serious the threat was and whether any harm was actually caused.