Section 397 IPC applies when, at the time of committing robbery or dacoity, the offender uses a deadly weapon, causes grievous hurt to any person, or attempts to cause death or grievous hurt. It sets a minimum sentence of seven years. The corresponding provision in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 is Section 311 BNS.
Elements of Section 397
Section 397 does not create a separate offence of robbery. It applies to a robbery or dacoity that is already established, and raises the minimum punishment where one of these aggravating facts is present:
- Use of a deadly weapon at the time of the robbery or dacoity.
- Causing grievous hurt to any person.
- Attempting to cause death or grievous hurt to any person.
Courts have examined whether the section reaches only the offender who personally used the weapon or caused the hurt, and what "uses" means when a weapon is only carried or displayed. The evidence about each accused person's individual role is therefore critical.
Punishment and BNS Section 311
The central IPC text provides that the imprisonment shall not be less than seven years. BNS Section 311 carries forward the same rule. A related provision, IPC 398 (attempt to commit robbery or dacoity when armed with a deadly weapon), corresponds to BNS 312.
A robbery or dacoity committed before 1 July 2024 is charged under IPC 397 by virtue of the BNS repeal and savings provision; one committed on or after that date falls under BNS 311. Take the date of the incident from the FIR narrative and seizure records, not from the date of registration.
धारा 397 IPC क्या है?
धारा 397 IPC तब लागू होती है जब लूट (robbery) या डकैती करते समय अपराधी घातक हथियार का उपयोग करे, किसी को गंभीर चोट पहुँचाए, या मृत्यु या गंभीर चोट पहुँचाने का प्रयास करे। इसमें न्यूनतम सात वर्ष का कारावास निर्धारित है। BNS में संबंधित प्रावधान धारा 311 है। ज़मानत या बचाव में हर आरोपी की व्यक्तिगत भूमिका, हथियार की बरामदगी और मेडिकल रिपोर्ट को ध्यान से देखना ज़रूरी है।
Records to examine
- FIR and the first description of the weapon and of each accused person's role.
- Seizure memo for the weapon, and any forensic or ballistic report.
- Medical records describing the injuries.
- Identification proceedings and witness statements.
- Recovery memos for the stolen property.
Build a role table: for each accused, what act is alleged, by whom, and in which document. Gaps between the FIR and later statements about who held the weapon are often the core of a bail or trial argument.
From records to a reviewed draft
Use legal document OCR for Hindi or regional-language police papers, then generate a first bail draft and check every fact against the original. See our bail application format under the BNSS, the snatching guide under Section 304 BNS, or the BNS vs IPC converter.