Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was the section that punished theft. From 1 July 2024 the same offence is punished by Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), and theft itself is defined in Section 303(1) BNS (formerly Section 378 IPC). The punishment is imprisonment of either description for up to three years, or fine, or both. On a second or later conviction under the section, the punishment is rigorous imprisonment of at least one year and up to five years, and fine. A person convicted for the first time of stealing property worth less than ₹5,000 “shall be punished with community service” once the property or its value is given back.
The First Schedule of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) shows theft as cognizable, non-bailable and triable by any Magistrate; the Schedule’s separate entry “Where value of property is less than 5,000 rupees”, whose punishment column refers to community service, is shown as non-cognizable and bailable. Under Section 359(1) BNSS the owner of the stolen property can compound (settle) the offence without needing the court’s permission. A theft committed before 1 July 2024 is still prosecuted under Section 379 IPC.
Section 379 IPC / Section 303 BNS at a glance
- 379 IPC in BNS: Section 303(2) BNS (punishment); the definition of theft is Section 303(1) BNS (formerly Section 378 IPC).
- Punishment: up to 3 years, or fine, or both (Section 303(2)).
- Second or later conviction: rigorous imprisonment of 1 to 5 years, and fine (Section 303(2)).
- Under ₹5,000, first conviction: community service once the property or its value is returned (proviso to Section 303(2)).
- Bailable or not: non-bailable and cognizable, triable by any Magistrate; the under-₹5,000 entry is non-cognizable and bailable (BNSS First Schedule).
- Compoundable: yes, by the owner of the property stolen, without the court’s permission (Section 359(1) BNSS), but not where a previous conviction makes the accused liable to enhanced punishment (Section 359(7)).
- Summary trial: where the stolen property is worth not more than ₹20,000 (Section 283(1)(i) BNSS).
- Related sections: snatching, Section 304 BNS (new); theft in a dwelling house or means of transport, Section 305 (formerly 380 IPC); receiving stolen property, Section 317(2) (formerly 411 IPC).
Reviewed and updated by Century Law Firm, Delhi – October 2026. Statutory references are to the Acts as in force on that date. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 are quoted from their India Code texts (as on 6 October 2025, still the current versions on 23 October 2026), Section 303 in Hindi from the official Hindi text of the BNS on India Code, and the Electricity Act, 2003 from India Code.
Section 379 IPC is now Section 303(2) BNS
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 came into force on 1 July 2024 and Section 358(1) BNS says: “The Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) is hereby repealed.” The IPC’s two theft sections were merged into one section of the BNS: the definition (Section 378 IPC) became sub-section (1) of Section 303, and the punishment (Section 379 IPC) became sub-section (2). If you are looking for “379 IPC in BNS”, the answer is Section 303(2) BNS. The firm’s IPC to BNS comparison tool shows the old and new numbers side by side.
Section 303(2) BNS reads:
“(2) Whoever commits theft shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both and in case of second or subsequent conviction of any person under this section, he shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year but which may extend to five years and with fine:
Provided that in cases of theft where the value of the stolen property is less than five thousand rupees, and a person is convicted for the first time, shall upon return of the value of property or restoration of the stolen property, shall be punished with community service.”
According to the firm’s Gazette-checked comparison of the two codes, the change made to Section 379 IPC is that “Punishment for subsequent convictions is added”. The proviso is also new in substance, because community service is a punishment that the BNS added to the list of punishments in Section 4 (“(f) Community Service”).
Old cases still run under Section 379 IPC
The repeal does not wipe out liability for thefts committed earlier. Under Section 358(2) BNS the repeal does not affect “any penalty, or punishment incurred in respect of any offences committed against the Code so repealed”, and any proceeding about such a penalty “may be instituted, continued or enforced … as if that Code had not been repealed”. On the procedural side, Section 531(2)(a) BNSS says that any appeal, application, trial, inquiry or investigation pending immediately before 1 July 2024 continues under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC). So an FIR under “379 IPC” for a theft committed before 1 July 2024 is correct; for a theft committed on or after that date the section is 303(2) BNS.
What is theft? Section 303(1) BNS (formerly Section 378 IPC)
Section 303(1) BNS defines theft: “Whoever, intending to take dishonestly any movable property out of the possession of any person without that person’s consent, moves that property in order to such taking, is said to commit theft.” Five things must come together:
- Dishonest intention. “Dishonestly” means doing anything “with the intention of causing wrongful gain to one person or wrongful loss to another person” (Section 2(7) BNS). The intention must exist when the property is moved.
- Movable property. “Movable property” includes property of every description “except land and things attached to the earth or permanently fastened to anything which is attached to the earth” (Section 2(21) BNS).
- Out of someone’s possession. The property must be taken out of the possession of a person, not merely out of the ownership of someone who did not have it.
- Without consent. Consent “may be express or implied”, and may be given by the person in possession or by anyone with authority to give it (Explanation 5).
- Moving the property. The offence is complete as soon as the property is moved “in order to such taking”; it need not be carried away.
The Explanations: trees, obstacles and animals
A thing attached to the earth is not movable property and cannot be stolen, “but it becomes capable of being the subject of theft as soon as it is severed from the earth” (Explanation 1), and the moving may be done by the same act that severs it (Explanation 2). A person also “moves” a thing by removing an obstacle that stopped it from moving or by separating it from another thing (Explanation 3), and a person who makes an animal move is treated as moving the animal and everything the animal carries (Explanation 4). Illustration (a) applies this to a tree: when A cuts down a tree on Z’s land intending to take it dishonestly, “as soon as A has severed the tree in order to such taking, he has committed theft”.
What the illustrations show
The sixteen illustrations to Section 303(1) answer most practical questions:
- Possession, not ownership, decides. A servant entrusted with the care of his employer’s plate who runs away with it commits theft (illustration (d)). But a warehouse keeper who sells goods left with him does not, because “the plate was not in Z’s possession”; he “may have committed criminal breach of trust” (illustration (e)).
- Found property. A ring lying on a table in Z’s house is in Z’s possession, so dishonestly removing it is theft (illustration (f)); a ring found on the highroad, “not in the possession of any person”, is not stolen by taking it, though the finder “may commit criminal misappropriation of property” (illustration (g)).
- Your own property can be stolen. A person who takes back his own watch, pawned with Z, without repaying the loan “commits theft, though the watch is his own property” (illustration (k)).
- Honest claim of right is not theft. Taking property “in good faith, believing property belonging to Z to be A’s own property” is not theft, “as A does not take dishonestly” (illustration (p)).
Is taking something for a short time theft?
It can be. The definition does not require an intention to keep the property for ever. Under Section 2(38) BNS a person loses wrongfully “when such person is wrongfully kept out of any property, as well as when such person is wrongfully deprived of property”. Illustration (l) treats as theft the taking of an article “with the intention of keeping it until he obtains money from Z as a reward for its restoration”. On the other hand, borrowing a friend’s book “for the purpose merely of reading it, and with the intention of returning it”, believing that the friend would not mind, is not theft (illustration (m)). Whether a temporary taking is theft therefore depends on whether it was done dishonestly and without consent.
Punishment for theft under Section 303(2) BNS
Section 303(2) has three levels. The ordinary punishment is imprisonment of either description (rigorous or simple) for up to three years, or fine, or both. No maximum fine is stated, and under Section 8(1) BNS the fine is then “unlimited, but shall not be excessive”. For a “second or subsequent conviction of any person under this section” the court must impose rigorous imprisonment of not less than one year (up to five years) and fine. For a first conviction where the stolen property is worth less than ₹5,000, the proviso says the person “shall upon return of the value of property or restoration of the stolen property, shall be punished with community service”.
“Community service” is explained in Section 23 BNSS as “the work which the Court may order a convict to perform as a form of punishment that benefits the community, for which he shall not be entitled to any remuneration”. The proviso applies only when all three conditions are met: the property is worth less than five thousand rupees, the person is convicted for the first time, and the property is restored or its value returned.
| Situation | Punishment under Section 303(2) BNS |
|---|---|
| Theft (ordinary case) | Imprisonment of either description up to 3 years, or fine, or both |
| Second or subsequent conviction under Section 303 | Rigorous imprisonment of not less than 1 year and up to 5 years, and fine |
| First conviction, property worth less than ₹5,000, property or its value returned | Community service |
Prepared by Century Law Firm from Section 303 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and the First Schedule and Section 359 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (India Code, as on 6 October 2025).
Is Section 379 IPC / 303(2) BNS bailable, cognizable and compoundable?
The classification comes from the First Schedule of the BNSS. A “bailable offence” is one “shown as bailable in the First Schedule”, and every other offence is non-bailable (Section 2(1)(c) BNSS). For Section 303(2) the Schedule has two entries:
| BNSS First Schedule entry | Punishment shown | Cognizable? | Bailable? | Court |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 303(2) Theft | “Rigorous imprisonment for not be less than 1 year but which may extend to 5 years, and fine” | Cognizable | Non-bailable | Any Magistrate |
| “Where value of property is less than 5,000 rupees” | “Upon return of the value of property or restoration of the stolen property, shall be punished with community service” | Non-cognizable | Bailable | Any Magistrate |
Two points about this table. First, the Schedule’s punishment column for the main entry shows only the repeat-offender range; the Schedule itself says that its entries are “not intended as the definition of, and the punishment prescribed for, the offence” but “merely as indication of the substance of the section”, so the punishment is the one in Section 303(2). Second, the separate entry reads only “Where value of property is less than 5,000 rupees” in its offence column; its punishment column repeats the community-service proviso. For a theft committed before 1 July 2024 and charged under Section 379 IPC, the classification is the one in the First Schedule of the CrPC.
What “cognizable” and “non-bailable” mean for an accused
“Cognizable” means a police officer may arrest without a warrant, and information about the offence is recorded as an FIR under Section 173 BNSS. It does not mean that arrest is automatic. For a cognizable offence punishable with up to seven years, Section 35(1)(b) BNSS allows arrest without warrant only if the officer has reason to believe the person committed the offence and “is satisfied that such arrest is necessary” for one of the listed reasons, such as preventing further offences or tampering with evidence, and the reasons must be recorded. Where arrest is not required, the officer must issue a notice to appear (Section 35(3), formerly Section 41A CrPC), and a person who complies with it “shall not be arrested in respect of the offence referred to in the notice unless, for reasons to be recorded, the police officer is of the opinion that he ought to be arrested” (Section 35(5)).
“Non-bailable” means that bail is not a right as it is for bailable offences under Section 478 BNSS (formerly Section 436 CrPC). It does not mean bail cannot be given: under Section 480 BNSS (formerly Section 437 CrPC) a person accused of a non-bailable offence “may be released on bail” by the police officer or the Magistrate, subject to the restrictions in that section, for example where the person had earlier been convicted on two or more occasions of a cognizable offence punishable with three years or more but less than seven years. The firm’s guide to bail in India explains the procedure.
Can a theft case be compounded?
Yes. The table under Section 359(1) BNSS (formerly Section 320 CrPC) lists “Theft. | 303(2) | The owner of the property stolen.”, so the owner of the stolen property may compound the offence without first obtaining the court’s permission. Section 359 sets no value limit for this. (The ₹20,000 figure sometimes given as a limit for compounding belongs to summary trials under Section 283, discussed below, not to compounding.) Compounding “shall have the effect of an acquittal of the accused” (Section 359(8)). There are limits:
- Repeat offenders: “No offence shall be compounded if the accused is, by reason of a previous conviction, liable either to enhanced punishment or to a punishment of a different kind for such offence” (Section 359(7)). A second conviction under Section 303 carries the enhanced punishment of one to five years, and Section 13 BNS can also make a person with an earlier conviction under Chapter X or XVII (punishable with three years or more) liable to enhanced punishment.
- After committal or during appeal: composition needs the leave of the court concerned (Section 359(5)).
- Other theft sections: theft by a clerk or servant (Section 306) can be compounded by the owner only with the court’s permission (Section 359(2)); theft in a dwelling house, means of transport or place of worship (Section 305) is not in either table, and “No offence shall be compounded except as provided by this section” (Section 359(9)).
Which court tries a theft case?
The BNSS First Schedule says Section 303(2) is triable by “Any Magistrate” (Executive Magistrates are excluded by the Schedule’s explanatory note). Where the value of the property stolen does not exceed twenty thousand rupees, a Chief Judicial Magistrate or a Magistrate of the first class “shall try in a summary way” a theft under Section 303(2), 305 or 306 (Section 283(1)(i) BNSS); if, during a summary trial, the Magistrate finds that the case is undesirable to try summarily, it is re-heard in the regular way (Section 283(3)); in a summary trial no sentence of imprisonment exceeding three months can be passed (Section 285(2)). Outside summary trials, a Magistrate of the first class may pass a sentence of up to three years, a fine of up to fifty thousand rupees, or community service (Section 23(2) BNSS), and a Chief Judicial Magistrate may pass any sentence except death, life imprisonment or imprisonment exceeding seven years (Section 23(1)). The firm’s court and district finder shows which Delhi district court covers each police station.
Theft, snatching, robbery and other related offences
The BNS keeps the IPC’s aggravated forms of theft and adds snatching as a separate offence. Section 304(1) says theft is snatching “if, in order to commit theft, the offender suddenly or quickly or forcibly seizes or secures or grabs or takes away from any person or from his possession any movable property”. Theft becomes robbery under Section 309(2) when the offender, for that end, “voluntarily causes or attempts to cause to any person death or hurt or wrongful restraint, or fear of instant death or of instant hurt, or of instant wrongful restraint”; see the firm’s post on robbery and dacoity (Section 397 IPC). Extortion is different again: the offender intentionally puts a person in fear of injury and thereby “dishonestly induces” that person to deliver property (Section 308(1)). Where property was entrusted to the accused and never taken out of anyone’s possession, it is not theft, though it may be criminal breach of trust (Section 316) – as illustration (e) to Section 303 shows.
| Offence | BNS (formerly IPC) | Punishment | Classification (BNSS First Schedule) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theft – definition | 303(1) (378) | – | – |
| Theft – punishment | 303(2) (379) | Up to 3 years, or fine, or both; repeat conviction RI 1–5 years and fine; community service in the under-₹5,000 first-conviction case | Cognizable, non-bailable, any Magistrate (under-₹5,000 entry: non-cognizable, bailable) |
| Snatching | 304 (new) | Up to 3 years and fine | Cognizable, non-bailable, any Magistrate |
| Theft in a dwelling or storage building, of or from a goods/passenger vehicle, of an idol in a place of worship, or of Government or local authority property | 305 (380) | Up to 7 years and fine | Cognizable, non-bailable, any Magistrate |
| Theft by clerk or servant of property in the employer’s possession | 306 (381) | Up to 7 years and fine | Cognizable, non-bailable, any Magistrate |
| Theft after preparation for causing death, hurt or restraint | 307 (382) | RI up to 10 years and fine | No separate entry in the BNSS First Schedule (India Code text) |
| Extortion | 308(2) (384) | Up to 7 years, or fine, or both | Cognizable, non-bailable, Magistrate of the first class |
| Robbery | 309(4) (392) | RI up to 10 years and fine; up to 14 years on a highway between sunset and sunrise | Cognizable, non-bailable, Magistrate of the first class |
| Dishonest misappropriation of property | 314 (403) | 6 months to 2 years and fine | Non-cognizable, bailable, any Magistrate |
| Criminal breach of trust | 316(2) (406) | Up to 5 years, or fine, or both | Cognizable, non-bailable, Magistrate of the first class |
| Dishonestly receiving or retaining stolen property | 317(2) (411) | Up to 3 years, or fine, or both | Cognizable, non-bailable, any Magistrate |
| Petty organised crime (theft, snatching etc. by a member of a group or gang) | 112 (new) | 1 to 7 years and fine | Cognizable, non-bailable, Magistrate of the first class |
Mapping is taken from the firm’s section-by-section comparison checked against the Gazette text, classification from the BNSS First Schedule on India Code, and the punishments from the BNS. Section 305 covers theft “of any means of transport used for the transport of goods or passengers” and “of any article or goods from any means of transport used for the transport of goods or passengers”; whether a particular vehicle falls within those words depends on the facts. Theft of a vehicle or a mobile phone is otherwise theft under Section 303(2), unless Section 305 applies (for example theft from a dwelling house), or snatching under Section 304 if it is grabbed from a person.
“379/411 IPC”: theft and receiving stolen property
Many FIRs and charge-sheets read “379/411 IPC”. Section 411 IPC is now Section 317(2) BNS: “Whoever dishonestly receives or retains any stolen property, knowing or having reason to believe the same to be stolen property, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.” “Stolen property” includes property whose possession has been transferred by theft, and it stops being stolen property once it comes back into the possession of a person legally entitled to it (Section 317(1)). The two sections are often used together when stolen goods are recovered from someone; the new equivalent of “379/411 IPC” is “303(2)/317(2) BNS”. Section 317(2) is also compoundable by the owner of the property stolen (Section 359(1) BNSS). The firm’s comparison tool gives the old and new numbers for both sections.
How to report a theft: FIR, zero FIR and e-FIR
Because theft is cognizable, the victim reports it to the police and the police record an FIR under Section 173 BNSS (formerly Section 154 CrPC). Where only the Schedule’s separate entry for property worth less than ₹5,000 applies, that entry is non-cognizable: the officer enters the substance of the information in a book and refers the informant to the Magistrate, and “No police officer shall investigate a non-cognizable case without the order of a Magistrate” having power to try it (Section 174(1) and (2) BNSS). Information may be given “irrespective of the area where the offence is committed” and “orally or by electronic communication”. Information given electronically is taken on record “on being signed within three days by the person giving it” (Section 173(1)(ii)), and a copy of the FIR “shall be given forthwith, free of cost, to the informant or the victim” (Section 173(2)). The firm’s guide on how to file a police complaint and FIR covers the general procedure.
Prepared by Century Law Firm from Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (India Code, as on 6 October 2025) and the Delhi Police website (read 23 October 2026).
If the officer in charge refuses to record the information, the person may send its substance “in writing and by post, to the Superintendent of Police concerned”, and if that fails, “may make an application to the Magistrate” (Section 173(4)). For a cognizable offence punishable with three years or more but less than seven years, Section 173(3) lets the officer in charge, with the prior permission of an officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police, either hold a preliminary enquiry within fourteen days to see whether there is a prima facie case or proceed with the investigation.
Online theft FIR in Delhi, and stolen mobile phones
The Delhi Police website lists a Theft e-FIR service and a separate MV Theft e-FIR service for motor vehicle theft, as well as a Lost Report service. The theft e-FIR page sends people whose property has been lost, or who do not remember where they kept it, to the Lost Report app, and warns that “False reporting of any facts for lodging FIR through this application will invite legal action.” Outside Delhi, the information can be given at any police station under Section 173. To find the ACP and DCP offices that supervise a Delhi police station, use the firm’s ACP and DCP office finder.
For a stolen mobile phone, the Department of Telecommunications’ Sanchar Saathi portal lets the owner ask for the handset’s IMEI to be blocked. It asks the owner to “File a report with the police, and keep a copy of the report”, says that “a copy of police report and an Identity Proof must be provided”, and needs a duplicate SIM for the lost number because the OTPs are sent to it. Where the police seize a recovered vehicle or phone, see the firm’s post on superdari applications.
Theft of electricity
Electricity has its own offence. Section 135 of the Electricity Act, 2003, headed “Theft of Electricity”, punishes whoever dishonestly taps or makes a connection with a licensee’s lines or cables, tampers with a meter or uses a tampered meter, damages a meter to interfere with metering, or uses electricity for an unauthorised purpose, “so as to abstract or consume or use electricity”, with “imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine or with both”. The provisos add minimum fines linked to “the financial gain on account of such theft of electricity” and heavier punishment for repeat offences where the load exceeds 10 kilowatt.
धारा 379 आईपीसी (अब धारा 303 बीएनएस) – चोरी की धारा हिंदी में (Section 379 IPC in Hindi)
भारतीय दंड संहिता (आईपीसी) की धारा 379 चोरी के दंड की धारा थी। 1 जुलाई 2024 से इसकी जगह भारतीय न्याय संहिता, 2023 (बीएनएस) की धारा 303(2) है, और चोरी की परिभाषा, जो पहले आईपीसी की धारा 378 में थी, अब धारा 303(1) में है। भारत के राजपत्र में प्रकाशित और इंडिया कोड पर उपलब्ध भारतीय न्याय संहिता के आधिकारिक हिंदी पाठ में धारा 303 “चोरी” के अध्याय 17 (“सम्पत्ति के विरुद्ध अपराधों के विषय में”) में है। उसका आधिकारिक हिंदी पाठ (मुख्य अंश) इस प्रकार है:
“303. (1) जो कोई, किसी व्यक्ति के कब्जे में से, उस व्यक्ति की सम्मति के बिना कोई चल सम्पत्ति बेईमानी से ले लेने का आशय रखते हुए वह सम्पत्ति ऐसे लेने के लिए हटाता है, वह चोरी करता है, यह कहा जाता है ।”
“(2) जो कोई चोरी करता है, वह दोनों में से किसी भांति के कारावास से, जिसकी अवधि तीन वर्ष तक की हो सकेगी, या जुर्माने से, या दोनों से, दंडित किया जाएगा और इस धारा के अधीन किसी व्यक्ति के दूसरे या पश्चातवर्ती दोषसिद्धि के मामले में, उसे ऐसे कठिन कारावास से जिसकी अवधि एक वर्ष से कम नहीं होगी किन्तु पांच वर्ष तक हो सकेगी और जुर्माने से दंडित किया जाएगा :
परन्तु चोरी के उन मामलों में जहां चोरी की गई संपत्ति का मूल्य पांच हजार रुपए से कम है और कोई व्यक्ति पहली बार के लिए दोषसिद्ध किया गया है, चोरी की गई संपत्ति के वापस करने पर या संपत्ति को प्रत्यावर्तित करने पर उसे सामुदायिक सेवा से दंडित किया जाएगा ।”
नीचे का सारांश फर्म की अपनी सरल भाषा में है; केवल ऊपर उद्धृत धारा 303 का पाठ आधिकारिक हिंदी पाठ है।
धारा 379 क्या है? सरल शब्दों में, चोरी तब होती है जब कोई व्यक्ति किसी दूसरे के कब्जे से, उसकी सहमति के बिना, बेईमानी के इरादे से कोई चल संपत्ति हटा देता है। “बेईमानी से” का अर्थ है किसी को गलत तरीके से लाभ या किसी को गलत तरीके से हानि पहुँचाने का इरादा। ज़मीन और ज़मीन से जुड़ी चीज़ें चल संपत्ति नहीं हैं, पर पेड़ जैसी चीज़ ज़मीन से अलग होते ही चोरी का विषय बन सकती है। संपत्ति को हटाते ही अपराध पूरा हो जाता है; उसे दूर ले जाना ज़रूरी नहीं। सद्भाव से अपनी समझकर ली गई चीज़ चोरी नहीं है।
चोरी की सज़ा कितनी है? धारा 303(2) के अनुसार साधारण मामले में तीन वर्ष तक का कारावास, या जुर्माना, या दोनों। इसी धारा के अधीन दूसरी या बाद की दोषसिद्धि पर कम से कम एक वर्ष और अधिक से अधिक पांच वर्ष का कठिन कारावास और जुर्माना। यदि चोरी की गई संपत्ति का मूल्य पांच हजार रुपए से कम है, व्यक्ति पहली बार दोषसिद्ध हुआ है और संपत्ति या उसका मूल्य लौटा दिया गया है, तो दंड सामुदायिक सेवा है। सामुदायिक सेवा का अर्थ है ऐसा काम जो न्यायालय दंड के रूप में करवाता है, जिससे समाज को लाभ हो और जिसके लिए कोई पारिश्रमिक नहीं मिलता (बीएनएसएस, धारा 23)।
379 जमानती है या नहीं? भारतीय नागरिक सुरक्षा संहिता (बीएनएसएस) की पहली अनुसूची में धारा 303(2) की चोरी संज्ञेय (cognizable) और गैर-जमानती (non-bailable) दिखाई गई है, और किसी भी मजिस्ट्रेट द्वारा विचारणीय है। अनुसूची की अलग प्रविष्टि, जिसमें संपत्ति का मूल्य पांच हजार रुपए से कम है (दंड स्तंभ में सामुदायिक सेवा), असंज्ञेय और जमानती दिखाई गई है। गैर-जमानती होने का अर्थ यह नहीं कि जमानत नहीं मिल सकती; धारा 480 बीएनएसएस के अधीन जमानत दी जा सकती है। जहाँ गिरफ्तारी आवश्यक नहीं, वहाँ पुलिस धारा 35(3) के अधीन हाज़िर होने का नोटिस देती है।
क्या चोरी का मामला समझौते से खत्म हो सकता है? हाँ। धारा 359(1) बीएनएसएस की तालिका के अनुसार चोरी (धारा 303(2)) का शमन, यानी समझौता, चोरी हुई संपत्ति का स्वामी कर सकता है, और इसके लिए न्यायालय की अनुमति ज़रूरी नहीं। इस धारा में संपत्ति के मूल्य की कोई सीमा नहीं है। लेकिन यदि पिछली दोषसिद्धि के कारण अभियुक्त बढ़े हुए दंड का भागी है, तो समझौता नहीं हो सकता (धारा 359(7))। बीस हजार रुपए तक की चोरी में मुख्य न्यायिक मजिस्ट्रेट या प्रथम वर्ग मजिस्ट्रेट मामले का संक्षिप्त विचारण (summary trial) करता है (धारा 283)।
379/411 का क्या मतलब है? आईपीसी की धारा 411 (चुराई हुई संपत्ति को बेईमानी से प्राप्त करना या रखना) अब बीएनएस की धारा 317(2) है। इसमें “चुराई हुई संपत्ति” को जानते हुए बेईमानी से प्राप्त करने या रखने पर तीन वर्ष तक का कारावास, या जुर्माना, या दोनों है। इसलिए पुराना “379/411 आईपीसी” अब “303(2)/317(2) बीएनएस” है।
अन्य संबंधित धाराएँ: धारा 304 बीएनएस में “झपटमारी” नया अलग अपराध है (तीन वर्ष तक का कारावास और जुर्माना)। निवास-गृह, यातायात के साधन, पूजा स्थल की मूर्ति या सरकारी संपत्ति की चोरी धारा 305 में (पहले आईपीसी 380) और लिपिक या सेवक द्वारा चोरी धारा 306 में (पहले आईपीसी 381) है; दोनों में सात वर्ष तक का कारावास और जुर्माना है।
चोरी की रिपोर्ट कैसे करें? धारा 173 बीएनएसएस के अधीन सूचना किसी भी थाने में, मौखिक या इलेक्ट्रॉनिक माध्यम से दी जा सकती है, चाहे अपराध कहीं भी हुआ हो; इलेक्ट्रॉनिक सूचना पर तीन दिन के भीतर हस्ताक्षर करने होते हैं, और एफआईआर की प्रति मुफ्त मिलती है। दिल्ली पुलिस की वेबसाइट पर चोरी और वाहन चोरी के लिए ई-एफआईआर सेवाएँ हैं। 1 जुलाई 2024 से पहले की गई चोरी का मुकदमा अब भी आईपीसी की धारा 379 के अधीन चलता है।
Frequently asked questions
No. Theft is now punished under Section 303(2) BNS, which the First Schedule of the BNSS shows as cognizable and non-bailable, triable by any Magistrate. Only the separate entry “Where value of property is less than 5,000 rupees” is shown as non-cognizable and bailable. Non-bailable does not mean bail is refused: the Magistrate may grant bail under Section 480 BNSS, and where arrest is not required the police must issue a notice to appear under Section 35(3) BNSS. A theft committed before 1 July 2024 remains under Section 379 IPC and the old CrPC classification.
Yes. Under the table in Section 359(1) BNSS, theft under Section 303(2) BNS can be compounded by “the owner of the property stolen” without the court’s permission, whatever the value of the property, and compounding has the effect of an acquittal (Section 359(8)). It cannot be compounded if a previous conviction makes the accused liable to enhanced punishment (Section 359(7)). Theft by a clerk or servant (Section 306) needs the court’s permission, and theft under Section 305 is not compoundable.
It can be. Section 303(1) BNS does not require an intention to keep the property permanently. “Dishonestly” includes causing wrongful loss, and Section 2(38) BNS says a person loses wrongfully when “wrongfully kept out of any property”. Illustration (l) to Section 303 treats taking an article to hold it until the owner pays a reward as theft. But borrowing a friend’s book to read and return, believing the friend consents, is not theft (illustration (m)).
Under Section 303(2) BNS: imprisonment of either description for up to three years, or fine, or both. On a second or subsequent conviction under the section, rigorous imprisonment of not less than one year and up to five years, and fine. A first-time offender who stole property worth less than ₹5,000 and returns it or its value “shall be punished with community service” (proviso to Section 303(2)).
Yes, under its own law. Section 135 of the Electricity Act, 2003, headed “Theft of Electricity”, punishes dishonest tapping of lines, meter tampering, use of a tampered meter and unauthorised use of electricity with imprisonment of up to three years, or fine, or both, with minimum fines linked to the financial gain from the theft and heavier punishment for repeat offences where the load exceeds 10 kilowatt.
Section 379 IPC corresponds to Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in force from 1 July 2024. The definition of theft in Section 378 IPC is now Section 303(1) BNS. According to the firm’s Gazette-checked comparison, the change is that punishment for subsequent convictions was added; the community-service proviso for small first-time thefts is also new.
For a theft committed on or after 1 July 2024, Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (definition in Section 303(1)). For an earlier theft, Section 379 IPC (definition in Section 378 IPC). Depending on the facts, Section 304 BNS (snatching), Section 305 (theft in a dwelling house, of a goods or passenger vehicle, of an idol or of Government property), Section 306 (theft by a clerk or servant) or Section 317(2) (receiving stolen property) may apply instead or as well.
Yes. The BNSS First Schedule shows theft under Section 303(2) BNS as cognizable, so the police can register an FIR under Section 173 BNSS and may arrest without a warrant, subject to the conditions in Section 35 BNSS. The separate entry “Where value of property is less than 5,000 rupees” is shown as non-cognizable; where only that entry applies, the officer enters the substance of the information and refers the informant to the Magistrate, and the police cannot investigate without a Magistrate’s order (Section 174 BNSS).
Section 303(2) BNS is triable by any Magistrate (BNSS First Schedule). Where the stolen property is worth not more than ₹20,000, a Chief Judicial Magistrate or Magistrate of the first class tries it in a summary way (Section 283(1)(i) BNSS), and a summary trial cannot result in imprisonment exceeding three months (Section 285(2)). If the Magistrate finds the case undesirable to try summarily, it is re-heard as a regular trial (Section 283(3)).
It means the FIR or charge-sheet invokes both Section 379 IPC (theft) and Section 411 IPC (dishonestly receiving or retaining stolen property). Under the BNS these are Section 303(2) and Section 317(2). Each carries up to three years, or fine, or both, and both are compoundable by the owner of the property stolen under Section 359(1) BNSS.
Theft of a mobile phone or a vehicle is theft under Section 303(2) BNS unless an aggravated section applies. Section 305 BNS (up to seven years and fine) applies to theft in a building used as a dwelling or for the custody of property, theft “of any means of transport used for the transport of goods or passengers” and theft of goods from such a vehicle; whether a particular vehicle falls within those words depends on the facts. If the phone or bag is grabbed from a person, Section 304 BNS (snatching, up to three years and fine) applies. In Delhi, the Delhi Police website offers e-FIR services for theft and motor vehicle theft, and a stolen phone’s IMEI can be blocked through Sanchar Saathi with a copy of the police report.
Section 379 IPC (धारा 379 आईपीसी) was the punishment for theft (चोरी); it is now Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (भारतीय न्याय संहिता). In the official Hindi text: “जो कोई चोरी करता है, वह दोनों में से किसी भांति के कारावास से, जिसकी अवधि तीन वर्ष तक की हो सकेगी, या जुर्माने से, या दोनों से, दंडित किया जाएगा”. A second or later conviction carries one to five years’ rigorous imprisonment (कठिन कारावास) and fine. The full Hindi text and a Hindi summary are given above.
Conclusion
Section 379 IPC has become Section 303(2) BNS. The basic punishment is unchanged – up to three years, or fine, or both – but the BNS adds a mandatory one-to-five-year rigorous sentence for repeat convictions and community service for small first-time thefts where the property is returned. Theft remains cognizable and non-bailable, triable by any Magistrate, and compoundable by the owner of the stolen property, while thefts committed before 1 July 2024 continue to be prosecuted under Section 379 IPC.
Sources used for this post: the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act No. 45 of 2023), Sections 2(7), 2(21), 2(36)–(38), 4, 8, 112, 303 to 309, 314, 316, 317 and 358, from its India Code text (a2023-45.pdf, as on 6 October 2025, re-checked on 23 October 2026) and its official Hindi text on India Code (Hh202345.pdf, Gazette of India Extraordinary, Sections 303, 304, 305, 306 and 317 read from the printed pages); the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (Act No. 46 of 2023), Sections 2(1)(c), 2(1)(g), 23, 35, 173, 283, 285, 359, 478, 480 and 531 and the First Schedule, from its India Code text (A2023-46.pdf, as on 6 October 2025, re-checked on 23 October 2026); the Electricity Act, 2003, Section 135, India Code section record (read 23 October 2026); the firm’s section-by-section IPC–BNS and CrPC–BNSS comparison checked against the Gazette text; the Delhi Police website, https://delhipolice.gov.in/ and https://propertytheft.delhipolice.gov.in/ (read 23 October 2026); and the Department of Telecommunications’ Sanchar Saathi portal, https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/ (read 23 October 2026).
