BNS Section 190
Can I be held guilty for a crime committed by someone else in an unlawful assembly?
Short answer
Yes, if you were a member of the unlawful assembly at the time, you are guilty of the offence.
In detail
Under Section 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, any person who is a member of an unlawful assembly when an offence is committed in pursuit of the assembly's common goal is treated as guilty of that offence. This applies not only to the person who actually carries out the illegal act but also to every other member who was present at the time. The law also covers offences that the members knew were likely to happen while pursuing the common object. In simple terms, being part of the group makes you legally responsible for the group's illegal actions, provided you were still a member when the act occurred. The rule does not apply to people who were not members at that moment or who had left the assembly before the offence took place.
Related questions
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People also ask
- What defines an unlawful assembly under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?
- How is the common object of an unlawful assembly determined?
- Can a person escape liability if they left the assembly before the offence occurred?
Not legal advice. This is general legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and every case turns on its own facts — speak to a lawyer about your situation.