Criminal LawSection 243, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

BNS Section 243

What is the punishment for hiding property to avoid court seizure?

Short answer

The offence can lead to up to three years' imprisonment, a fine up to ₹5,000, or both.

In detail

If a person deliberately moves, hides, transfers, or gives away any property or interest in it with the intention of stopping that property from being taken because a court has already ordered a forfeiture, fine, or execution, or is likely to do so, the law treats this as a criminal act. The purpose is to prevent the evasion of legal orders that require the property to be seized. Under this provision, the offender may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term that can extend to three years, may be ordered to pay a fine that can go up to five thousand rupees, or may face both imprisonment and fine together. The punishment applies regardless of whether the court order is criminal or civil, as long as the person knows about the order or its likelihood and still tries to conceal the property.

Reviewed by LegalX Editorial · 3 September 2026View source

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