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Section 119: Voluntarily Causing Hurt or Grievous Hurt to Extort Property

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita • Chapter VI: Of Offences Affecting the Human Body • Official Statutory Text & Legal Guide

Chapter VI: Of Offences Affecting the Human Body
Magistrate 1st Class / Court of Session
Non-Bailable
Cognizable
Formerly Sec 327, 329 IPC
Section 118 All 358 Sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 120

Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Section 119

Section 119 penalizes voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt for the purpose of extorting from the sufferer, or from any person interested in the sufferer, any property or valuable security, prescribing imprisonment up to ten years for hurt, and imprisonment for life or up to ten years for grievous hurt.

  • Extortion Nexus: The physical violence is inflicted specifically to extort property, money, or execution of a valuable security.
  • Constrained Coercion: Extends to hurting a victim to compel them or their family to satisfy illegal demands.
  • Severe Custodial Sentences: Up to ten years for simple hurt; imprisonment for life or up to ten years for grievous hurt (formerly Sections 327 and 329 IPC).
Key Landmark Precedents:
  • State of Karnataka v. Basavaraj (2004): Affirmed that causing bodily injuries to force a debtor to sign blank promissory notes or part with title deeds satisfies Section 327/329 IPC (Section 119 BNS).
  • Ratanlal v. State of M.P. (1983): Held that the prosecution must prove that the violence was the direct coercive engine to extort property.
Courtroom Practice & Strategic Litigation Guidance:

In commercial debt recovery disputes where police register Section 119 BNS alleging physical threats during settlement meetings, file for bail highlighting prior business transactions and absence of medical injury reports to expose malicious weaponization of penal provisions.

Section 118 All 358 Sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 120