Introduction of 213 IPC
213 IPC punishes anyone who accepts, demands, or agrees to receive money, gifts, or any other benefit in exchange for hiding a crime or helping a criminal escape punishment.
- This law prevents corruption, bribery, and obstruction of justice.
- The punishment varies depending on the severity of the crime being hidden.
- Introduction of 213 IPC
- What is IPC Section 213 ?
- IPC 213 in Simple Points
- Section 213 IPC Overview
- Section 213 IPC case laws
- 213 IPC Punishment
- 213 IPC Bailable or non bailable
- Section 213 IPC in short information
- IPC Section 213 FAQs
- If you need support with court proceedings or any other legal matters, don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance.
What is IPC Section 213 ?
IPC Section 213 punishes a person who accepts, demands, or agrees to receive any money, gift, or benefit in exchange for hiding a crime or protecting a criminal from punishment.
This law ensures that justice is not obstructed by bribery or corruption. The punishment depends on the seriousness of the crime being hidden:
- If the hidden crime is punishable by death → Up to 7 years imprisonment + fine.
- If the hidden crime is punishable by life imprisonment or up to 10 years → Up to 3 years imprisonment + fine.
- If the hidden crime is punishable by less than 10 years → Up to one-fourth of the maximum punishment for that crime, or fine, or both.
IPC 213 in Simple Points
1. Protection of Justice from Corruption
IPC 213 prevents corruption by ensuring that no person can accept money or gifts in exchange for hiding a crime or protecting a criminal. If people were allowed to take bribes to protect criminals, justice would be compromised.
2. Punishment Based on the Hidden Crime’s Severity
The severity of punishment under IPC 213 depends on how serious the hidden crime is:
- Hiding a crime punishable by death leads to a maximum of 7 years in prison + fine.
- Hiding a crime punishable by life imprisonment or up to 10 years leads to 3 years in prison + fine.
- For minor crimes, the punishment is one-fourth of the longest term of imprisonment for that crime, or fine, or both.
3. Applies to Anyone Who Accepts or Demands Benefits
IPC 213 applies to any person who accepts, demands, or agrees to receive benefits in return for hiding a crime. This can include:
- Police officers taking bribes to ignore a case.
- Lawyers accepting gifts to destroy evidence.
- Witnesses taking money to remain silent in court.
- Family members of the accused who accept money to drop charges.
4. Direct and Indirect Acceptance of Bribes is Punishable
A person can be punished even if they don’t receive the bribe directly. If they agree to accept or attempt to obtain money, gifts, or favors to hide a crime, they can still be punished under IPC 213.
For example:
- A lawyer agrees to take property from an accused person to not present evidence in court. Even if he doesn’t receive the property, he can be punished under IPC 213.
5. IPC 213 Strengthens the Legal System
This law ensures that criminals face proper legal consequences. Without IPC 213, criminals could easily escape punishment by bribing people to hide their crimes. The section helps to:
- Prevent obstruction of justice.
- Ensure legal accountability.
- Discourage bribery and corruption.
Section 213 IPC Overview
IPC Section 213 punishes anyone who accepts, demands, or agrees to receive money, gifts, or benefits to hide a crime or protect a criminal from punishment. The severity of the punishment depends on the seriousness of the concealed crime. This law ensures that justice is not obstructed by bribery or corruption.
10 Key Points on IPC 213
1. Accepting or Demanding a Reward for Hiding a Crime is a Crime
IPC Section 213 makes it illegal for anyone to take or demand money, gifts, property, or any benefit in exchange for helping a criminal avoid punishment or hiding an offense.
- Example: A witness demands ₹50,000 from an accused person’s family to not testify in court. This is punishable under IPC 213.
2. Punishment Varies Based on the Severity of the Hidden Crime
The punishment under IPC 213 depends on how serious the concealed offense is:
- If the main crime is punishable by death → Up to 7 years imprisonment + fine.
- If the main crime is punishable by life imprisonment or up to 10 years → Up to 3 years imprisonment + fine.
- If the main crime is punishable by less than 10 years → Up to one-fourth of the maximum punishment for that crime, or a fine, or both.
3. Even an Agreement to Accept a Bribe is a Crime
Under IPC 213, it is not necessary to receive a reward to be punished. If someone agrees to accept money or benefits in exchange for concealing a crime, they can still be held guilty.
- Example: A lawyer promises to hide evidence in exchange for future payment. Even if the money is not received, this is still an offense.
4. Any Form of Benefit is Considered a Bribe
The reward does not have to be money. Any favor, property, service, job, or other advantage is considered a bribe under IPC 213.
- Example: A police officer agrees to ignore a criminal case in return for a free apartment. This is punishable.
5. Police Officers and Public Officials Can Be Punished
If a government official, police officer, or judge accepts a bribe to protect a criminal or hide a crime, they can be punished under IPC 213 along with other anti-corruption laws.
- Example: A police officer takes ₹1 lakh from a businessman to not register an FIR. This is an offense under IPC 213.
6. Friends, Relatives, or Associates Can Also Be Guilty
IPC 213 applies to anyone who takes money or benefits to hide a crime, even if they are not directly involved in the crime.
- Example: A criminal’s brother accepts money from the victim’s family to convince them to withdraw the complaint. He can be punished under IPC 213.
7. Concealing an Offense Through Compensation is Illegal
A victim cannot take money or gifts to drop legal action or withdraw a case. Accepting compensation to not report a crime is punishable under IPC 213.
- Example: A hit-and-run victim’s family accepts ₹5 lakh from the driver’s family to not report the crime. This is illegal under IPC 213.
8. A Crime Does Not Have to Be Fully Hidden for Punishment to Apply
Even if a person fails to hide the crime or the criminal is eventually caught, they can still be punished under IPC 213.
- Example: A person takes ₹10,000 to hide a murder weapon, but the police later find it. He is still guilty under IPC 213.
9. IPC 213 is Different from IPC 212 (Harboring a Criminal)
- IPC 212 punishes people who provide shelter or help a criminal escape.
- IPC 213 punishes those who accept rewards to protect criminals or hide crimes.
- Example: If a person hides a murderer in their house, IPC 212 applies. If they take money to keep quiet about the murder, IPC 213 applies.
10. Punishment Includes Both Imprisonment and Fine
Punishment under IPC 213 can include:
- Imprisonment (depending on the crime being concealed).
- Fine (as per the court’s decision).
- Both imprisonment and fine.
Examples of IPC 213
🔹 Example 1: A police officer demands ₹50,000 from a suspect’s family to not arrest him for murder. This is a punishable offense under IPC 213 because the crime is serious.
🔹 Example 2: A shopkeeper agrees to take ₹10,000 from a thief to not report a robbery to the police. This is also covered under IPC 213, and the shopkeeper can be punished.
Section 213 IPC case laws
Case 1: A Witness Taking a Bribe to Remain Silent
- Incident: A person witnessed a murder but accepted ₹5 lakh from the accused’s family to not testify in court.
- Legal Action: The witness was arrested and charged under IPC 213.
- Result: The court sentenced the witness to 3 years imprisonment + fine since the concealed crime (murder) was punishable by life imprisonment.
Case 2: A Police Officer Accepting a Bribe to Hide a Crime
- Incident: A police officer was offered ₹2 lakh to not register an FIR against a person involved in a kidnapping case.
- Legal Action: The officer was caught in a sting operation and charged under IPC 213 and anti-corruption laws.
- Result: The officer received 7 years imprisonment + fine because kidnapping is punishable by life imprisonment.
Case 3: A Family Accepting Money to Withdraw a Case
- Incident: The family of an assault victim accepted ₹1 lakh from the accused to drop charges.
- Legal Action: The police found out and charged both the family members and the accused under IPC 213.
- Result: The family members were fined, and the accused received additional punishment for trying to obstruct justice.
Case 4: A Lawyer Taking a Bribe to Hide Evidence
- Incident: A lawyer received a valuable property from an accused person in exchange for destroying evidence in a fraud case.
- Legal Action: The fraud was discovered, and the lawyer was arrested under IPC 213.
- Result: The lawyer was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment + fine, and his license was revoked.
Case 5: A Village Head Protecting a Criminal
- Incident: A village leader took a gold necklace from a thief’s family to convince the police to not investigate a robbery.
- Legal Action: The police arrested the village leader under IPC 213.
- Result: Since robbery is punishable by up to 10 years, the leader received 3 years imprisonment + fine.
213 IPC Punishment
- If the concealed crime is punishable by death → Up to 7 years imprisonment + fine.
- If the concealed crime is punishable by life imprisonment or up to 10 years → Up to 3 years imprisonment + fine.
- If the concealed crime is punishable by less than 10 years → Up to one-fourth of the maximum punishment for that crime, or fine, or both.
213 IPC Bailable or non bailable
- If the hidden crime is serious (e.g., murder, rape, terrorism) → Non-Bailable.
- If the hidden crime is less serious (e.g., fraud, minor theft) → Bailable.
Section 213 IPC in short information
| IPC Section | Offense | Punishment | Bailable/Non-Bailable | Cognizable/Non-Cognizable | Trial By |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPC 213 | Taking money, gifts, or benefits to hide a crime or protect a criminal from punishment | Up to 7 years imprisonment + fine (if the hidden offense is punishable by death); Up to 3 years imprisonment + fine (if the hidden offense is punishable by life imprisonment or 10 years); Lesser punishment if the crime is minor | Bailable (if the hidden offense is not very serious); Non-Bailable (if the hidden offense is serious) | Cognizable (for serious offenses); Non-Cognizable (for less serious offenses) | Magistrate |
IPC Section 213 FAQs
What is IPC Section 213?
IPC 213 punishes anyone who takes money, gifts, or benefits to hide a crime or protect a criminal from legal punishment.
What is the punishment under IPC 213?
The punishment depends on the seriousness of the hidden crime:
For minor crimes → Up to one-fourth of the maximum punishment, or fine, or both.
If the hidden crime is punishable by death → Up to 7 years imprisonment + fine.
If the hidden crime is punishable by life imprisonment or 10 years → Up to 3 years imprisonment + fine.
Is IPC 213 a bailable offense?
If the hidden crime is less serious (like fraud or minor theft) → Bailable.
If the hidden crime is serious (like murder, rape, or kidnapping) → Non-Bailable.
Who can be punished under IPC 213?
Any person who accepts, demands, or agrees to receive money, property, or benefits in exchange for hiding a crime or protecting a criminal.
Can a family member of the accused be punished under IPC 213?
Yes, if they accept money or benefits to stop legal action or hide the crime, they can be punished under IPC 213.
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