Cyber Crime Sections in BNS 2023 and the IT Act (Chart)
420 is now 318(4). One chart with every section that police use for online fraud, sextortion, stalking and hacking, with the old IPC number and the punishment.
BNS chartCyber Crime Sections in BNS 2023 (with Old IPC)
| Crime | BNS 2023 | Old IPC | Punishment (up to) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online fraud / cheating that makes you hand over money | 318(4) | 420 | 7 years + fine |
| Cheating by pretending to be someone else | 319(2) | 419 | 5 years + fine |
| Pretending to be a police officer or other public servant | 204 | 170 | 6 months to 3 years + fine |
| Extortion, sextortion, ransom demands | 308(2) | 384 | 7 years and/or fine |
| Threats online (criminal intimidation) | 351(2), 351(3) | 506 | 2 years; 7 years for threats of death or grievous hurt |
| Defamation on social media | 356(2) | 500 | 2 years, fine or community service |
| Online stalking of a woman | 78 | 354D | 3 years + fine (first conviction) |
| Voyeurism: capturing or sharing private images of a woman | 77 | 354C | 1 to 3 years + fine (first conviction) |
| Forgery for cheating: fake documents, fake websites | 336(3) | 468 | 7 years + fine |
| Organised cyber-crime syndicates | 111 | new | 5 years to life + fine of at least ₹5 lakh (higher if death results) |
IT Act chartIT Act 2000 Sections for Cyber Crime
| Crime | IT Act section | Punishment (up to) |
|---|---|---|
| Hacking, data theft, spreading a virus (dishonestly) | 66 (with 43) | 3 years or ₹5 lakh fine, or both |
| Identity theft: using someone's password, OTP, e-signature | 66C | 3 years + ₹1 lakh fine |
| Cheating by personation using a phone or computer | 66D | 3 years + ₹1 lakh fine |
| Capturing or publishing private parts of a person without consent | 66E | 3 years or ₹2 lakh fine, or both |
| Publishing obscene material online | 67 | 3 years + ₹5 lakh (first conviction) |
| Sexually explicit material | 67A | 5 years + ₹10 lakh (first conviction) |
| Child sexual abuse material | 67B | 5 years + ₹10 lakh (first conviction) |
| Cyber terrorism | 66F | Life imprisonment |
Which oneWhich Section Applies to Your Case?
- 1
💸 UPI, OTP, KYC, job or investment fraud
Usually BNS 318(4) with IT Act 66C / 66D; 336(3) if fake documents or websites were used; 111 if it is a syndicate.
- 2
📹 Digital arrest or fake police call
BNS 204 (personating a public servant), 308 (extortion), 318(4), 319(2) and IT Act 66D. See what to do on a fake police call.
- 3
📸 Morphed photos, sextortion, leaked private videos
BNS 77, 308, 351 and IT Act 66E, 67, 67A. For children, also the POCSO Act and IT Act 67B.
- 4
📲 Hacked account, fake profile
IT Act 66 and 66C; BNS 319(2) if the fake profile is used to cheat; 356 if it defames you.
The lawSection 66C IT Act and Section 111 BNS
Information Technology Act, 2000 · Section 66C. Punishment for identity theft. Whoever, fraudulently or dishonestly make use of the electronic signature, password or any other unique identification feature of any other person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine which may extend to rupees one lakh.
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Section 111(1). Any continuing unlawful activity including kidnapping, robbery, vehicle theft, extortion, land grabbing, contract killing, economic offence, cyber-crimes, trafficking of persons, drugs, weapons or illicit goods or services, human trafficking for prostitution or ransom, by any person or a group of persons acting in concert, singly or jointly, either as a member of an organised crime syndicate or on behalf of such syndicate, by use of violence, threat of violence, intimidation, coercion, or by any other unlawful means to obtain direct or indirect material benefit including a financial benefit, shall constitute organised crime.
Since 1 July 2024 the BNS has replaced the IPC, so old numbers like 420 are now 318(4). The IT Act still runs alongside it for crimes that need a computer or phone. For the first time, the BNS names cyber-crimes inside 'organised crime', so a scam gang can get up to life imprisonment.
🏠 Everyday analogy
The BNS is like a new edition of a textbook: the chapters are the same, the page numbers changed. 420 is still cheating, it just lives at 318(4) now.
🇮🇳 Real Indian example
Suppose a fraud happened on 15 June 2024 and the FIR is filed in 2026. The FIR uses IPC 420, not BNS 318(4), because the offence happened before 1 July 2024.
ConstitutionCyber Crime Law and the Constitution
Article 20(1): No retrospective punishment
No one can be punished under a law that did not exist when the act was done, or with more than the punishment then in force. That is why IPC sections still apply to offences before 1 July 2024.
Article 21: Privacy and dignity
Sections on voyeurism, stalking and privacy violation protect the right to privacy recognised in Puttaswamy (2017).
Practice MCQTest Yourself: Cyber Law
Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property (old Section 420 IPC) falls under:
Doubts ClearedFrequently Asked Questions
What is the new section for IPC 420?
Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in force from 1 July 2024. Punishment: up to 7 years and fine.
Which IT Act section applies to online fraud?
Section 66D for cheating by personation using a phone or computer, and 66C if your password, OTP or e-signature was misused.
Is sextortion a crime under BNS?
Yes. It is usually charged as extortion (BNS 308) with criminal intimidation (351) and IT Act 66E, 67 or 67A, depending on the material.
Do old IPC sections still apply?
Yes, for offences committed before 1 July 2024, because Article 20(1) bars applying a new criminal law retrospectively.
Sources and further readingSources We Checked
Sections and punishments checked on 23 October 2026 against the official texts of the BNS 2023 and the IT Act 2000 on India Code. Punishments shown are the maximum (first conviction where the Act has a higher term for repeat offences).