Theft, Robbery, Burglary & Trespass

Property offences in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 run from simple theft to armed dacoity. Theft is defined and punished under Section 303 BNS; the new code introduces a distinct offence of snatching under Section 304. Robbery — theft or extortion with the use or threat of force — is under Section 309, and dacoity (robbery by five or more persons) is under Section 310. Criminal trespass, house-trespass and housebreaking are dealt with under Sections 329 to 331 BNS. Each offence has distinct ingredients — dishonest intention, the use or threat of force, the number of offenders and the time and manner of entry — which decide both the charge and the sentence. Trials turn heavily on the recovery of stolen articles, identification (including test identification parades) and an unbroken chain of custody from seizure to court. We handle FIR strategy, recovery and identification-parade defence, and trial advocacy with rigorous attention to the chain of custody — and, for victims, the restoration of property under the BNSS.