IPC 420 → BNS 318(4): Cheating

IPC 420 (now BNS 318(4)): Cheating and Dishonestly Inducing Delivery of Property

IPC Section 420 punishes cheating coupled with dishonestly inducing the victim to deliver property, or to make, alter or destroy a valuable security. From 1 July 2024 this is covered by Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, which gathers the cheating offences into a single graded Section 318.

Punishment under BNS 318(4) (same core as IPC 420)

Imprisonment up to 7 years and fine. The familiar "420" ceiling is retained for the most serious cheating-with-delivery-of-property form.

What changed from IPC to BNS?

The standalone IPC 420 is now sub-section (4) of the consolidated cheating provision, BNS 318. The scope is expanded to squarely cover digital and online fraud, reflecting the rise of UPI scams, fake-investment apps and phishing. The definition of cheating itself sits at IPC 415 (BNS 318(1)). New FIRs cite BNS 318(4); older cases continue under IPC 420.

Worked example

A sets up a fake online store, takes advance payment from B for goods he never intends to ship, and pockets the money. The dishonest inducement to part with property makes this BNS 318(4) — the modern digital counterpart of the classic IPC 420 offence.

Practical notes

• For advocates: distinguish cheating from criminal breach of trust (IPC 406 to BNS 316) — entrustment points to 406, while a dishonest inducement at the outset points to BNS 318(4). Forgery used to cheat is charged with IPC 468 (BNS 336(3)).
• BNS 318(4) is widely used in cybercrime and financial-fraud complaints; preserve transaction trails and screenshots as evidence.