What is the punishment under BNS Section 214?

The punishment for this specific offense is outlined under the new law as: Imprisonment up to Six Month(s) + Fine.

Is BNS Section 214 bailable or non-bailable?

Under the new legal framework, this specific offense is classified as a Bailable offense.

Is BNS Section 214 a cognizable offense?

The legal status regarding police arrest without a warrant is that this offense is Non-cognizable.

Which court has the jurisdiction to try cases under BNS Section 214?

Cases pertaining to this specific BNS section are triable by the Any Magistrate.

Can BNS Section 214 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).

BNS Section 214- Refusing to answer public servant authorised to question | Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023

Hello readers! Today, we are going to break down Section 214 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

Refusing to answer public servant authorised to question.—Whoever, being legally bound to state the truth on any subject to any public servant, refuses to answer any question demanded of him touching that subject by such public servant in the exercise of the legal powers of such public servant, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both.

Procedural Details

Punishment

Imprisonment up to Six Month(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 214

Pramod Pal Founder and Editor-in-Chief

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.