Criminal LawSection 246, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

BNS Section 246

What is the punishment for making a false claim in court?

Short answer

A false claim in court can lead to up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine.

In detail

If a person knowingly makes a claim in a court that they know is false, the law treats this as a serious offence. The provision covers situations where the claim is made fraudulently, dishonestly, or with the intention to hurt or annoy someone. When such a false claim is proven, the court can order the offender to be imprisoned for a period that may go up to two years. In addition to jail time, the offender must also pay a monetary fine. The punishment applies regardless of whether the false claim was part of a civil or criminal proceeding, as long as it was presented in a court of law. This rule aims to deter people from abusing the judicial process by filing baseless or malicious claims that waste court resources and harm others.

Reviewed by LegalX Editorial · 3 September 2026View source

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