What is the punishment for Dhara 491?

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

Is IPC 491 bailable or non-bailable?

Under the Indian Penal Code, this specific offense is classified as a Bailable offense.

Is Dhara 491 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 IPC 491 cases?

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

Can IPC Section 491 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 CrPC 320 for exceptions).

IPC Section 491 In English

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Breach of contract to attend on and supply wants of helpless person.—

Section

491

Punishment

Imprisonment up to Three Month(s) + Fine

Cognizable

Non-cognizable

Bailable

Compoundable

Non-Compoundable (Refer to CrPC 320 for exceptions)

Trial Court

Any Magistrate

Bare Act Text

491. Breach of contract to attend on and supply wants of helpless person.— Whoever, being bound by a lawful contract to attend on or to supply the wants of any person who, by reason of youth, or of unsoundness of mind, or of a disease or bodily weakness, is helpless or incapable of providing for his own safety or of supplying his own wants, voluntarily omits so to do, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both.

Disclaimer:

This article is for general legal information only and is not a substitute for professional legal advice. Please consult a qualified advocate for your specific case.

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.