Section 263Resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension of another person

Chapter XIV — Of False Evidence and Offences Against Public Justice

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, intentionally offers any resistance or illegal obstruction to the lawful apprehension of any other person for an offence, or rescues or attempts to rescue any other person from any custody in which that person is lawfully detained for an offence,—
1. (a) shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both; or
2. (b) if the person to be apprehended, or the person rescued or attempted to be rescued, is charged with or liable to be apprehended for an offence punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine; or
3. (c) if the person to be apprehended or rescued, or attempted to be rescued, is charged with or liable to be apprehended for an offence punishable with death, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine; or
4. (d) if the person to be apprehended or rescued, or attempted to be rescued, is liable under the sentence of a Court or by virtue of a commutation of such a sentence, to imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for a term of ten years or upwards, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine; or
5. (e) if the person to be apprehended or rescued, or attempted to be rescued, is under sentence of death, shall be punished with imprisonment for life or imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

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: p. 72
Text version: As originally enacted in 2023.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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