
IPC 406 is a section in the Indian Penal Code that deals with the criminal breach of trust. The section defines the term 'property' as dominion, which is the entrustment of control over property. This means that one person has transferred ownership of the property to another person, but the original owner still maintains their property rights. IPC 406 outlines the punishment for criminal breach of trust, which is imprisonment for up to three years, a fine, or both.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Section | 406 |
| Chapter | 17 |
| Offence | Criminal breach of trust |
| Punishment | Imprisonment for 3 years, a fine, or both |
| Bailable offence | No |
| Cognizable | Yes |
| Triable by | Magistrate of the first class |
| Compoundable by | Owner of the property with the permission of the court |
| Key elements | Entrustment of property, dishonest misappropriation |
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What You'll Learn

Criminal breach of trust
Section 406 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with criminal breach of trust. This provision for the criminal breach of trust is found in Chapter 17 of the Indian Penal Code.
The offence of criminal breach of trust under Section 406 IPC involves the 'entrustment of property'. Entrustment of property means that one person has transferred the property ownership to another person. The original owner does not lose their rights to the property when they entrust it to someone else. The term 'entrustment' is often considered vague and extends beyond just trusted people to include clerks, business officials, and servants who are entrusted with important tasks and business processes.
The offence of criminal breach of trust under Section 406 IPC requires that the accused should have received the property and held it on behalf of another person, acting as a trustee of the property. The act of committing criminal breach of trust should be done intentionally and not by accident or coincidence. There must be an element of dishonest misappropriation, where the entrusted person uses dishonest means, leading to the other person feeling cheated.
The punishment for criminal breach of trust under Section 406 IPC is imprisonment for up to three years, or a fine, or both, depending on the gravity of the offence. Criminal breach of trust is a non-bailable and cognizable offence, triable by a Magistrate of the first class. The offence is compoundable by the owner of the property with the permission of the court.
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Punishment for breach of trust
Section 406 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with criminal breach of trust. This provision for the criminal breach of trust is found in Chapter 17 of the Indian Penal Code.
The punishment for committing an offence of criminal breach of trust is provided under IPC 406. The accused shall be liable to imprisonment for up to 3 years, or with a fine, or with both, depending on the gravity of the offence. Criminal breach of trust is a non-bailable and cognizable offence, triable by a Magistrate of the first class. This offence is compoundable by the owner of the property in respect of which the breach of trust has been committed, with the permission of the court.
The crucial element of IPC 406 is the entrustment of property. The accused should have been entrusted with property earlier and should have received the property to hold it on behalf of another person, thus becoming a trustee of the property. The term 'entrustment' means handing over the possession of a thing for some purpose, and this transference of ownership does not mean that the original owner has lost their rights to the property. Entrustment can also extend to clerks, business officials, and servants who are entrusted with important tasks and business processes.
Another element of IPC 406 is dishonest misappropriation. This is emphasised when it is a criminal breach of trust because dishonesty plays a major role when a person breaks another person's trust.
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Entrustment of property
Section 406 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with the punishment for criminal breach of trust. This offence occurs when someone entrusted with property—that is, property handed over and held in trust with the expectation that it will be used or returned in a specific manner—dishonestly misuses or converts it for their own use, violating the trust placed in them.
The act of committing a criminal breach of trust should be done intentionally and not by accident or coincidence. There must be entrustment, conversion, or misappropriation to use one's property. In these cases, every payment in terms of money by one person to another does not amount to an entrustment unless there are other circumstances.
To successfully prosecute under Section 406, evidence must clearly establish the elements of criminal breach of trust. This includes proof of entrustment, such as documentation or witness testimony showing that the property was entrusted; dishonest intention, evidenced by an indication that the accused did not intend to return or appropriately manage the property; and misappropriation or conversion, demonstrated through bank records, transaction logs, or other records showing unauthorised use.
The burden lies on the prosecution to demonstrate that the accused violated the entrusted responsibility. The court may interpret the law based on the nature of the entrustment and the intent of the accused. IPC Section 406 is a non-bailable offence, meaning bail is not automatically granted, and it is applicable to breaches of trust in business or corporate settings, provided there is clear evidence of entrustment and misuse.
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Misappropriation
Section 406 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with the punishment for criminal breach of trust. The offence of criminal breach of trust under Section 406 IPC involves the non-accidental and intentional act of committing a breach of trust by a trustee, i.e., the person who holds the possession of the property on behalf of another person. The punishment for committing this offence is imprisonment for up to 3 years, a fine, or both.
Section 403 of the IPC deals with criminal misappropriation of property. Criminal misappropriation of property is a serious offence under the IPC that involves the dishonest appropriation of someone else's property without their consent. The punishment for this offence is imprisonment for up to 2 years, a fine, or both.
For an offence of criminal misappropriation under Section 403, it is not necessary that the property should be taken with dishonest intention. The possession of the property may come innocently and then by subsequent change of intention, or knowledge of some new facts, the retaining of that property becomes wrongful or fraudulent.
Section 403 also clarifies that no criminal misappropriation can take place if the property is in nobody's possession. For example, if someone finds goods on the roadside belonging to someone else, they commit the offence of criminal misappropriation if they retain the goods and use them even after knowing the actual owner of the property.
The Supreme Court has interpreted the phrase "converts to his own use" as mentioned in Section 403 of the IPC. The court held that it implies that the accused has utilized the property in a manner that goes against the rights of the actual owner of the property.
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Non-bailable offence
Section 406 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with criminal breach of trust. This offence is non-bailable, meaning that bail is not granted as a matter of right and depends on the discretion of the court.
Criminal breach of trust involves the dishonest misappropriation or conversion of property entrusted to someone, violating the trust placed by the owner. In simple terms, it occurs when someone entrusted with property dishonestly misuses it for their own benefit, breaking the trust of the person who gave them that property.
For example, if someone is entrusted with property and, instead of taking care of it, tries to sell and dispose of it without the owner's knowledge and for their own gain, this would be a criminal breach of trust. Similarly, if a husband or any of his family members misappropriate or refuse to return a wife's stridhan (property she is entitled to possess, use and dispose of at her discretion), this would also be considered a criminal breach of trust.
The key element of Section 406 IPC is the 'entrustment of property'. This means that the accused must have been entrusted with property by the person who is now accusing them. Importantly, this does not mean that the original owner has lost their rights to the property. The term 'entrusted property' is interpreted broadly and depends on the circumstances of the case. For instance, it can include clerks, business officials and servants who are entrusted with important tasks and business processes.
The punishment for criminal breach of trust under Section 406 IPC includes imprisonment for up to three years, a fine, or both, depending on the severity of the offence.
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Frequently asked questions
IPC 406 is a section in the Indian Penal Code that deals with criminal breach of trust.
Criminal breach of trust involves the 'entrustment of property', where ownership is transferred to another person, but the original owner maintains their property rights. This can apply to land, moveable property, business ventures and facilities.
Punishments include imprisonment for up to three years, a fine, or both. Imprisonment may be extended to seven years if the accused is a carrier, wharfinger, warehouse-keeper, clerk, or servant.
The crucial element of IPC 406 is the ''entrustment' of property. The accused must have been entrusted with the property in question and must have intentionally committed a criminal breach of trust.
IPC 405 defines what constitutes a criminal breach of trust, while IPC 406 outlines the punishments for this crime.




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