Section 217False information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to injury of another person

Chapter XIII — Of Contempts of the Lawful Authority of Public Servants

Copied from the Official Gazette. Not yet reviewed by a qualified legal professional.

Text of the law

Official text (Gazette) Not yet legally reviewed

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—
1. (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
2. (b) to use the lawful power of such public servant to the injury or annoyance of any person,
3. shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees, or with both.
Illustrations.
1. (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.
2. (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.
3. (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.

Amendments, judgments and appeal information have not been added for this section yet.

Source and checking

Where this text comes from: Gazette of India, Extraordinary, No. 53, 25 December 2023 (Act No. 45 of 2023)
Type of text: Official text (Gazette)
Pages in the Gazette: pp. 61–62
Text version: As originally enacted in 2023. This text may not reflect subsequent amendments or commencement notifications. Last status check: 6 November 2026.
When the Act came into force: 1 July 2024, under Government notification S.O. 850(E), dated 23 February 2024. Read notification S.O. 850(E) in the Gazette of India (PDF, opens in a new tab)The notification excluded section 106(2); see the note on that section.Whether an excluded provision was brought into force later has not been independently confirmed. Checked against the Gazette on 6 November 2026. Not yet reviewed by a qualified legal professional.
Checked by computer against the Gazette?: Yes, words and structure match
Reviewed by a qualified legal professional?: Not yet
Copied on: 6 Nov 2026

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