BNS Section 148: Conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 147 (formerly IPC 121A)
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · in force from 1 July 2024
BNS 148: Conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 147
From 1 July 2024
Whoever within or without and beyond India conspires to commit any of the offences punishable by section 147, or conspires to overawe, by means of criminal force or the show of criminal force, the Central Government or any State Government, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Explanation.—To constitute a conspiracy under this section, it is not necessary that any act or illegal omission shall take place in pursuance thereof.
What it replaced in the IPC
BNS 148 ← IPC 121A · Conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 121Changed
BPR&D's comparison records a change. Read what changed before relying on the old wording.
What changed, per BPR&D: “and beyond” is added.
Printed in both official correspondence tables (BPR&D and NCRB).
Whoever within or without [India] conspires to commit any of the offences punishable by section 121, *** or conspires to overawe, by means of criminal force or the show of criminal force, [the Central Government or any [State] Government ***], shall be punished with [imprisonment for life], or with imprisonment of either description which may extend to ten years, [and shall also be liable to fine].
Explanation.—To constitute a conspiracy under this section, it is not necessary that any act or illegal omission shall take place in pursuance thereof.]
Which one applies
An offence is governed by the law in force when it was committed. An offence committed before 1 July 2024 is charged and punished under the IPC; one committed on or after that date, under the BNS. Section 358 of the BNS, which repeals the IPC, preserves every liability and proceeding already incurred under it.
Read BNS section 358 →Judgments decided under IPC 121A
They remain the law on IPC 121A. Where the provision changed in the move, read what changed before relying on one for an offence after 1 July 2024.
Sources
- Correspondence Table and Comparison Summary of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 to the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Bureau of Police Research & Development, Ministry of Home Affairs, page 17.
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023: bare Act with Corresponding Section Table, National Crime Records Bureau (Sankalan), page 41.
- The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Act 45 of 1860), as amended, India Code, Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice.
BPR&D is the Bureau of Police Research & Development (Ministry of Home Affairs); NCRB the National Crime Records Bureau. Their correspondence tables are training aids, not law. This page is general information, not legal advice on any case; the bare Acts as published by the Government of India are the authority.