Offence requiring a particular intent or knowledge committed by one who is intoxicated
What this section does
Where an offence requires a particular intent or knowledge as an ingredient, a voluntarily intoxicated person is presumed to have had the same knowledge they would have had if sober. This section does not apply where the intoxication was involuntary, i.e., administered without the person's knowledge or against their will. It effectively prevents voluntary intoxication from being used to negate the mental element of an offence.
AI-generated plain-language summary. For the binding statutory text, see India Code (official).
Derived from IPC s.86.
Read the official text
For the binding statutory text of BNS Section 24, refer to the Gazette of India or the India Code official website.
Why this matters
BNS Section 24 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.