● Modified in BNS
Intentionally giving or fabricating false evidence in a judicial proceeding carries up to 7 years' imprisonment and fine under BNS Section 229(1) -- unchanged from IPC 193 -- but the previously open-ended fine is now capped, at Rs 10,000 for judicial proceedings and Rs 5,000 for other cases.
Section 193 IPC punished intentionally giving false evidence, or fabricating false evidence, at any stage of a judicial proceeding with imprisonment up to 7 years and liable to fine (uncapped); in any other case, with imprisonment up to 3 years and liable to fine (uncapped). Explanations clarified that a court-martial and a law-directed preliminary investigation both count as judicial proceedings.
BNS Section 229 reproduces the two-tier punishment and imprisonment ceilings unchanged, restructured into sub-sections (1)/(2), but for the first time gives the previously open-ended fine a statutory cap: up to Rs 10,000 for the judicial-proceeding tier, up to Rs 5,000 for the other-case tier. A new third Explanation extends "judicial proceeding" to court-directed investigations conducted under a court's authority, even off-site.
Imprisonment ceilings unchanged. The previously uncapped fine now carries explicit statutory ceilings, and a new Explanation broadens what counts as a "judicial proceeding" to include court-directed off-site investigations.
Imprisonment of either description up to 7 years, and fine up to Rs 10,000, for false evidence in a judicial proceeding; up to 3 years, and fine up to Rs 5,000, in any other case..
IPC 193 is bailable..
This is a non-cognizable. offence.
Non-compoundable..
Matters under IPC 193 are tried before the Magistrate of the First Class for the judicial-proceeding tier; any Magistrate for the other-case tier..
Common defences include the statement being a genuine mistake or difference of recollection rather than a knowing falsehood, and the statement not being material to the proceeding.
Summaries are for general information and are not legal advice. For the authoritative bare-act text, see the official Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Indian Penal Code, 1860 (full amended text, as it stood before repeal) on India Code, or the Ministry of Home Affairs' new criminal laws page. ← All comparisons