Long Title

Chapter I — PRELIMINARY

Chapter II — GENERAL EXPLANATIONS

Chapter III — PUNISHMENTS

Chapter IV — GENERAL EXCEPTIONS

Right of private defence

Chapter V — ABETMENT

Chapter VA — CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY

Chapter VI — OFFENCES AGAINST THE STATE

Chapter VIA — PIRACY

Chapter VIB — GENOCIDE

Chapter VII — OFFENCES RELATING TO THE ARMED FORCES

Chapter VIII — OFFENCES RELATING TO UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY

Chapter IX — OFFENCES BY OR RELATING TO PUBLIC SERVANTS

Chapter X — CONTEMPTS OF THE LAWFUL AUTHORITY OF PUBLIC SERVANTS

Chapter XI — FALSE EVIDENCE AND OFFENCES AGAINST PUBLIC JUSTICE

Chapter XII — OFFENCES RELATING TO COIN AND GOVERNMENT STAMPS

Chapter XIII — OFFENCES RELATING TO WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

Chapter XIV — OFFENCES AFFECTING THE PUBLIC TRANQUILITY, PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, CONVENIENCE, DECENCY AND MORALS

Chapter XV — OFFENCES RELATING TO RELIGION OR RACE

Chapter XVI — OFFENCES AFFECTING THE HUMAN BODY

Offences affecting life

Causing miscarriage; injuries to unborn children; exposure of infants; and concealment of births

Hurt

Wrongful restraint and wrongful confinement

Criminal force and assault

Kidnapping, abduction, slavery and forced labour

Sexual offences

Chapter XVII — OFFENCES AGAINST PROPERTY

Theft

Extortion

Robbery and gang-robbery

Criminal misappropriation of property

Criminal breach of trust

Receiving stolen property

Cheating

Fraudulent deeds and dispositions of property

Mischief

Criminal trespass

Chapter XVIII — OFFENCES RELATING TO DOCUMENTS OR ELECTRONIC RECORDS, FALSE INSTRUMENTS, AND TO CURRENCY NOTES AND BANK NOTES

Currency notes and bank notes

Chapter XX — OFFENCES RELATING TO MARRIAGE

Chapter XXI — DEFAMATION

Chapter XXII — CRIMINAL INTIMIDATION, INSULT AND ANNOYANCE

Chapter XXIII — ATTEMPTS TO COMMIT OFFENCES

Legislative Source Key

Legislative History

Act done by a person justified, or by mistake of fact believing himself justified by law
79.  Nothing is an offence which is done by any person who is justified by law, or who by reason of a mistake of fact and not by reason of a mistake of law in good faith believes himself to be justified by law, in doing it.
Illustrations
(a)
A sees Z commit what appears to A to be a murder. A, in the exercise, to the best of his judgment exerted in good faith, of the power which the law gives to all persons of apprehending murderers in the act, seizes Z, in order to bring Z before the proper authorities. A has committed no offence, though it may turn out that Z was acting in self-defence.
(b)
A, a police officer, is deployed to perform the duty of screening passengers boarding a flight at the airport. A sees Z, a passenger queuing up to be screened, acting suspiciously. As A approaches Z, Z suddenly shouts aloud that he is carrying a bomb and warns A not to approach further. As A draws his revolver, Z suddenly starts to run away. A, after assessing the circumstances of the case, and to the best of his judgment exerted in good faith, believes that Z has a bomb and will set it off. A shoots Z and Z dies as a result. A has committed no offence, even though it may turn out that Z was not carrying a bomb.
(c)
A, a police officer, is deployed to perform patrol duty at an underground train station. A receives information from police headquarters that someone is attempting to plant a bomb in the public transport system. The profile of the suspect is also provided. While patrolling the underground train station, A sees Z, who fits the profile. Z is seen carrying a backpack and behaving suspiciously. A approaches Z and orders him to stop. Z suddenly starts running towards a crowd in the station. A, after assessing the circumstances of the case, and to the best of his judgment exerted in good faith, believes that Z has a bomb and will set it off. A shoots Z and Z dies as a result. A has committed no offence, even though it may turn out that Z was not carrying a bomb.
(d)
X, the commander of a naval vessel, is patrolling Singapore territorial waters. X receives information that someone may hijack a vessel in order to commit a terrorist act. X spots vessel A which is proceeding at high speed towards a cruise liner. X orders vessel A to stop her manoeuvre immediately and fires a warning signal. Vessel A instead starts accelerating towards the cruise liner. X, after assessing the circumstances of the case, and to the best of his judgment exerted in good faith, believes that vessel A is going to ram into the cruise liner. X gives an order to fire at vessel A. The persons on board vessel A die as a result. X has committed no offence, even though it may turn out that vessel A was not hijacked nor were there any terrorist on board.
[51/2007]
[Indian PC 1860, s. 79]