Section 316 BNS: Criminal Breach Of Trust

Table of Contents

Section 316 BNS | BNS 316 | BNS Section 316

316(1) BNS

Whoever, being in any manner entrusted with property, or with any dominion over property, dishonestly misappropriates or converts to his own use that property, or dishonestly uses or disposes of that property in violation of any direction of law prescribing the mode in which such trust is to be discharged, or of any legal contract, express or implied, which he has made touching the discharge of such trust, or wilfully suffers any other person so to do, commits criminal breach of trust.

Explanation 1— A person, being an employer of an establishment whether exempted under section 17 of the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 (19 of 1952) or not who deducts the employee’s contribution from the wages payable to the employee for credit to a Provident Fund or Family Pension Fund established by any law for the time being in force,

shall be deemed to have been entrusted with the amount of the contribution so deducted by him and if he makes default in the payment of such contribution to the said Fund in violation of the said law, shall be deemed to have dishonestly used the amount of the said contribution in violation of a direction of law as aforesaid.

Explanation 2— A person, being an employer, who deducts the employees’ contribution from the wages payable to the employee for credit to the Employees’ State Insurance Fund held and administered by the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation established under the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 (34 of 1948) shall be deemed to have been entrusted with the amount of the contribution so deducted by him and if he makes default in the payment of such contribution to the said Fund in violation of the said Act, shall be deemed to have dishonestly used the amount of the said contribution in violation of a direction of law as aforesaid.

Illustrations

(a) A, being executor to the will of a deceased person, dishonestly disobeys the law which directs him to divide the effects according to the will, and appropriates them to his own use. A has committed criminal breach of trust.

(b) A is a warehouse-keeper Z going on a journey, entrusts his furniture to A, under a contract that it shall be returned on payment of a stipulated sum for warehouse room. A dishonestly sells the goods. A has committed criminal breach of trust.

(c) A, residing in Kolkata, is agent for Z, residing at Delhi. There is an express or implied contract between A and Z, that all sums remitted by Z to A shall be invested by A, according to Z’s direction. Z remits one lakh of rupees to A, with directions to A to invest the same in Company’s paper. A dishonestly disobeys the directions and employs the money in his own business. A has committed criminal breach of trust.

(d) But if A, in illustration (c), not dishonestly but in good faith, believing that it will be more for Z’s advantage to hold shares in the Bank of Bengal, disobeys Z’s directions, and buys shares in the Bank of Bengal, for Z, instead of buying Company’s paper, here, though Z should suffer loss, and should be entitled to bring a civil action against A, on account of that loss, yet A, not having acted dishonestly, has not committed criminal breach of trust.

(e) A, a revenue-officer, is entrusted with public money and is either directed by law, or bound by a contract, express or implied, with the Government, to pay into a certain treasury all the public money which he holds. A dishonestly appropriates the money. A has committed criminal breach of trust.

(f) A, a carrier, is entrusted by Z with property to be carried by land or by water. A dishonestly misappropriates the property. A has committed criminal breach of trust.

316(2) BNS

Whoever commits criminal breach of trust shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both.

316(3) BNS

Whoever, being entrusted with property as a carrier, wharfinger or warehouse-keeper, commits criminal breach of trust in respect of such property, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

316(4) BNS

Whoever, being a clerk or servant or employed as a clerk or servant, and being in any manner entrusted in such capacity with property, or with any dominion over property, commits criminal breach of trust in respect of that property, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

316(5) BNS

Whoever, being in any manner entrusted with property, or with any dominion over property in his capacity of a public servant or in the way of his business as a banker, merchant, factor, broker, attorney or agent commits criminal breach of trust in respect of that property, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

READ OTHER SECTIONS OF CHAPTER XVII — OF OFFENCES AGAINST PROPERTY

Section No.	Section Title
	Of Theft
303	Theft.
304	Snatching.
305	Theft in a dwelling house, or means of transportation or place of worship, etc.
306	Theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master.
307	Theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to committing of theft.
	Of Extortion
308	Extortion.
	Of Robbery And Dacoity
309	Robbery.
310	Dacoity.
311	Robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt.
312	Attempt to commit robbery or dacoity when armed with deadly weapon.
313	Punishment for belonging to gang of robbers, etc.
	Of Criminal Misappropriation Of Property
314	Dishonest misappropriation of property.
315	Dishonest misappropriation of property possessed by deceased person at the time of his death.
	Of Criminal Breach Of Trust
316	Criminal breach of trust.
	Of Receiving Stolen Property
317	Stolen property.
	Of Cheating
318	Cheating.
319	Cheating by personation.
	Of Fraudulent Deeds And Dispositions Of Property
320	Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property to prevent distribution among creditors.
321	Dishonestly or fraudulently preventing debt being available for creditors.
322	Dishonest or fraudulent execution of deed of transfer containing false statement of consideration.
323	Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property.
	Of Mischief
324	Mischief.
325	Mischief by killing or maiming animal.
326	Mischief by injury, inundation, fire or explosive substance, etc.
327	Mischief with intent to destroy or make unsafe a rail, aircraft, decked vessel or one of twenty tons burden.
328	Punishment for intentionally running vessel aground or ashore with intent to commit theft, etc.
	Of Criminal Trespass
329	Criminal trespass and house-trespass.
330	House-trespass and hous-ebreaking.
331	Punishment for house-trespass or house-breaking.
332	House-trespass in order to commit offence.
333	House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint.
334	Dishonestly breaking open receptacle containing property.

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FAQs of BNS Section 316

316 BNS punishment and fine

Punishment and fine under Section 316 of the BNS—

316(2): Imprisonment for 5 years, or fine, or both.
316(3): Imprisonment for 7 years and fine.
316(4): Imprisonment for 7 years and fine.
316(5): Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for 10 years and fine.
316 BNS cognizable or not

The offence under Section 316(2), 316(3), 316(4) and 316(5) of the BNS is cognizable.
316 BNS bailable or not

The offence under Section 316(2), 316(3), 316(4) and 316(5) of the BNS is non-bailable.
316 BNS trial court

Offence specified in Section 316(2), 316(3), 316(4) and 316(5) of the BNS is triable by the Magistrate of the first class.

Important Points

Cognizable Offences: These are offences where a police officer can arrest a person without a warrant.

Non-Cognizable Offences: These are offences where a police officer cannot arrest a person without a warrant.

Bailable Offences: These are offences where the accused can get bail from the police station itself. All bailable offences are listed in the First Schedule of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

Non-Bailable Offences: Offences in which bail is not granted directly from the police station but after hearing the case in the court, the judge decides when bail will be granted. All non-bailable offences are listed in the first schedule of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).