Section 119 BNS: Hurt or Grievous Hurt to Extort Property or Constrain to an Illegal Act
Section 119 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS) punishes voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt for the purpose of extorting property or valuable security, or for compelling a person to do something illegal or something that may facilitate the commission of an offence.
Text of Section 119 BNS
Section 119(1): Whoever voluntarily causes hurt for the purpose of extorting from the sufferer, or from any person interested in the sufferer, any property or valuable security, or of constraining the sufferer or any person interested in such sufferer to do anything which is illegal or which may facilitate the commission of an offence, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Section 119(2): Whoever voluntarily causes grievous hurt for any purpose referred to in sub-section (1), shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
What Section 119 BNS covers
The provision applies where hurt is caused for a specific coercive purpose. The object may be to obtain property or valuable security from the injured person or another person interested in that person. It also covers causing hurt to compel such a person to do an illegal act or an act that may facilitate the commission of an offence.
Difference between Section 119(1) and Section 119(2)
| Provision | Injury | Purpose | Punishment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 119(1) | Hurt | Extort property or valuable security, or constrain a person to do an illegal act or facilitate an offence | Imprisonment up to 10 years and fine |
| Section 119(2) | Grievous hurt | Any purpose referred to in Section 119(1) | Life imprisonment, or imprisonment up to 10 years, and fine |
Meaning of "hurt" under Section 114 BNS
Section 114 BNS provides that whoever causes bodily pain, disease or infirmity to any person is said to cause hurt. Section 119(1) therefore requires hurt within that statutory meaning, together with one of the purposes specified in Section 119(1).
Meaning of "grievous hurt" under Section 116 BNS
Section 116 BNS identifies the kinds of injury treated as grievous hurt. These include emasculation; permanent deprivation of sight or hearing; deprivation or permanent impairment of a member or joint; permanent disfiguration of the head or face; fracture or dislocation of a bone or tooth; and hurt which endangers life or causes the victim to be in severe bodily pain or unable to follow ordinary pursuits for fifteen days.
Meaning of "valuable security"
Section 2(31) BNS defines "valuable security" as a document which is, or purports to be, a document by which a legal right is created, extended, transferred, restricted, extinguished or released, or by which a person acknowledges a legal liability or acknowledges that the person does not have a certain legal right.
Meaning of "illegal"
Under Section 2(15) BNS, the word "illegal" applies to everything which is an offence, is prohibited by law, or furnishes ground for a civil action. This definition is relevant where Section 119 is invoked on the allegation that the victim was forced to do something illegal.
Meaning of "voluntarily"
Section 2(33) BNS explains that a person causes an effect "voluntarily" when the person causes it by means intended to cause that effect, or by means which the person knew or had reason to believe were likely to cause that effect.
Essential ingredients of Section 119 BNS
- The accused must voluntarily cause hurt or grievous hurt.
- The act must be done for one of the specific purposes stated in Section 119(1).
- The purpose may be to extort property or valuable security from the sufferer or from a person interested in the sufferer.
- The purpose may instead be to constrain such person to do something illegal or something that may facilitate an offence.
- For Section 119(2), the injury must qualify as grievous hurt under Section 116 BNS.
Section 119 and related BNS provisions
Section 119 should be read with the surrounding provisions dealing with hurt. Section 117 BNS deals generally with voluntarily causing grievous hurt, while Section 118 BNS deals with hurt or grievous hurt caused by dangerous weapons or means. Section 120 BNS separately addresses hurt or grievous hurt caused to extort a confession, information, restoration of property or satisfaction of a claim or demand.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum punishment under Section 119(1) BNS?
Section 119(1) permits imprisonment of either description for a term up to ten years, together with fine.
Can Section 119(2) BNS result in life imprisonment?
Yes. Where grievous hurt is voluntarily caused for a purpose specified in Section 119(1), Section 119(2) permits imprisonment for life. The alternative punishment is imprisonment of either description for a term up to ten years, together with fine.
Does Section 119 apply only when property is actually obtained?
The statutory wording focuses on voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt for the specified purpose. Whether the offence is made out in a particular case depends on proof of the injury, the accused person's conduct and the purpose for which the hurt was caused.
Last reviewed: 8 September 2026.