BNS Section 334- Dishonestly breaking open receptacle containing property | Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023
Hello readers! Today, we are going to break down Section 334 of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. If you've been wondering what exactly this section covers and how it impacts our legal system, you're in the right place.
Bare Act Text
Dishonestly breaking open receptacle containing property.—(1) Whoever dishonestly or with intent to commit mischief, breaks open or unfastens any closed receptacle which contains or which he believes to contain property, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
(2) Whoever, being entrusted with any closed receptacle which contains or which he believes to contain property, without having authority to open the same, dishonestly, or with intent to commit mischief, breaks open or unfastens that receptacle, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
Procedural Details
Punishment
Imprisonment up to Two Year(s) + Fine
Nature of Offense
Non-cognizable
Bail Eligibility
Bailable
Compoundability
Non-Compoundable (Refer to BNSS 359 for exceptions)
Trial Court
Any Magistrate
Frequently Asked Questions about BNS Section 334
What is Section 334 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)?
According to the official bare act, this legal offense is defined as: Dishonestly breaking open receptacle containing property.—(1) Whoever dishonestly or with intent to commit mischief, breaks open or unfastens any closed receptacle which contains or which he believes to contain property, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
(2) Whoever, being entrusted with any closed receptacle which contains or which he believes to contain property, without having authority to open the same, dishonestly, or with intent to commit mischief, breaks open or unfastens that receptacle, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
What is the punishment under BNS Section334 ?
The punishment for this specific offense is outlined under the new law as: Imprisonment up to Two Year(s) + Fine
Is BNS Section 334 bailable or non-bailable?
Under the new legal framework, this specific offense is classified as a Bailableoffense.
Is BNS Section 334 a cognizable offense?
The legal status regarding police arrest without a warrant is that this offense isNon-cognizable.
Which court has the jurisdiction to try cases under BNS Section 334 ?
Cases pertaining to this specific BNS section are triable by the Any Magistrate.
Can BNS Section 334 be compromised (Compoundable)?
The compoundable nature of this offense, meaning whether the parties can settle it out of court, is classified as: Non-Compoundable (Refer to BNSS 359 for exceptions).
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Pramod is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of StudyHub. He holds a Master's degree and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Geology, alongside more than 7+ years spent building and verifying competitive exam content for Indian aspirants. He leads StudyHub's editorial process across Indian Polity, the Constitution, Indian Economy, History, Geography, Science, and the platform's other subject areas — checking every article against primary sources (bare act text and Gazette notifications for constitutional topics, government and Economic Survey data for economy content, standard reference material elsewhere) and flagging it for re-verification whenever a relevant amendment, policy, or data update makes an earlier version outdated.