BNS Section 210
What are the penalties if I don’t give a required document to a public servant?
Short answer
You can be jailed up to one month, fined up to ₹5,000, or both; for court documents, up to six months and ₹10,000, or both.
In detail
Section 210 says that if you are legally required to hand over a paper or electronic file to a government officer and you deliberately refuse, you commit an offence. The law allows the court to punish you with a short term of simple imprisonment – up to one month – or a monetary fine that can be as high as five thousand rupees, or both together. If the document you were supposed to produce is meant for a court, the punishment is higher: the jail term can go up to six months and the fine can reach ten thousand rupees, again with the option of imposing both. The provision applies only when the omission is intentional; accidental forgetfulness is not covered by this section. The rule covers any document or electronic record that the law obliges you to present to a public servant. Failure to comply can also lead to a criminal record, affecting future employment or travel permissions. Courts may also order you to produce the document in addition to the penalty.
Related questions
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Hurt means causing bodily pain, disease, or infirmity to any person.
Can a husband be forced to financially support his wife, children, or parents if he refuses?
Yes, a magistrate can order him to pay a monthly allowance and enforce it with fines or up to one month in jail.
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No, you are not criminally liable if the act was not intended to cause death or serious injury and the adult gave consent.
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Yes, the law permits you to use private defence even if it risks harming an innocent person during a deadly assault.
People also ask
- What if I forget to produce a document by mistake?
- Does the law treat electronic records the same as paper documents?
- Can the court order me to produce the document in addition to a fine?
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.