IPC Section 119 - Public servant concealing design to commit offence which it i s his duty to prevent

119. Public servant concealing design to commit offence which it i s his duty to prevent

Whoever, being a public servant intending to facilitate or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby

facilitate the commission of an offence which it is his duty as such public servant to prevent,

1[voluntarily conceals, by any act or illegal omission or by the use of encryption or any other

information hiding tool, the existence of a design] to commit such offence, or makes any representation

which he knows to be false respecting such design,

if offence be committed.--shall, if the offence be committed, be punished with imprisonment of any

description provided for the offence, for a term which may extend to one -half of the longest term of such

imprisonment, or with such fine as is provided for that offence, or with both;

if offence be punishable with death, etc .--or, if the offenc e be punishable with death or

2[imprisonment for life], with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten

years;

if offence be not committed .--or, if the offence be not committed, shall be punished with

imprisonment of any description provided for the offence for a term which may extend to one -fourth part

of the longest term of such imprisonment or with such fine as is provided for the offence, or with both.

Illustration

A, an officer of police, being legally bound to give information of all designs to commit robbery which may come to his

knowledge, and knowing that B designs to commit robbery, omits to give such information, with intent to facilitate th e

commission of that offence. Here A has by an illegal omission concealed the existence of B's design , and is liable to punishment

according to the provision of this section.