IPC 506 → BNS 351(2): Punishment Intimidation

IPC 506 (now BNS 351(2)): Punishment for Criminal Intimidation

IPC Section 506 prescribes the punishment for criminal intimidation — threatening another with injury to person, reputation or property to cause alarm or to make him do or omit an act. From 1 July 2024 it continues as Section 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 (the punishment limbs are sub-sections 351(2) and 351(3)).

Punishment under BNS 351 (same as IPC 506)

For ordinary criminal intimidation, imprisonment up to 2 years, or fine, or both; where the threat is to cause death or grievous hurt, or certain other aggravated threats, imprisonment up to 7 years. This two-tier structure of old IPC 506 is retained.

What changed from IPC to BNS?

There is no major change — only the section number moved from IPC 506 to BNS 351. The threat must be one capable of causing alarm; an idle remark with no such intent is not enough. New FIRs cite BNS 351.

Worked example

A telephones B and threatens to kill him unless he withdraws a complaint. Because the threat is of death and is made to coerce B's conduct, it falls within the aggravated limb of BNS 351(3), exposing A to the higher 7-year term rather than the ordinary 2-year one under BNS 351(2).

Practical notes

• For advocates: the offence rests on the definition of criminal intimidation (IPC 503); an intentional insult to provoke a breach of the peace is the neighbouring IPC 504 (BNS 352), and an anonymous threat is IPC 507 (BNS 351(4)).
• The aggravated 7-year limb makes the precise content of the threat critical — record and preserve it where possible.