Act done by a person bound, or by mistake of fact believing himself bound, by law
What this section does
Creates a general exception for acts done by a person who is legally bound to do them, or who in good faith and by reason of a mistake of fact (not law) believes themselves to be so bound. Such acts do not constitute offences. The illustrations cover a soldier obeying lawful orders and an officer arresting the wrong person due to a genuine factual mistake.
AI-generated plain-language summary. For the binding statutory text, see India Code (official).
Derived from IPC s.76.
Read the official text
For the binding statutory text of BNS Section 14, refer to the Gazette of India or the India Code official website.
Why this matters
BNS Section 14 forms part of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita which replaced the Indian Penal Code 1860 on 1 July 2024. Any new filing, FIR, charge sheet, or bail application made on or after that date should cite the new section number. References to the old act in legacy documents remain valid for matters that arose before the changeover.