IPC Section 120. Concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment

Whoever, intending to facilitate or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby facilitate the commission of an offence punishable with imprisonment, voluntarily conceals, by any act or illegal omission, 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-if offence be not committed.-shall, if the offence be committed, be punished with imprisonment of the description provided for the offence, for a term which may extend to one-fourth, and, if the offence be not committed, to one-eighth, of the longest term of such imprisonment, or with such fine as is provided for the offence, or with both.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE

Para I

Punishment-Imprisonment extending to a quarter part of the longest term provided for the offence, or fine, or both-According as offence abetted is cognizable or non-cognizable-According as offence abetted is bailable or non-bailable-Triable by court by which offence abetted is triable-Non-compoundable.

Para II

Punishment-Imprisonment extending to one-eighth part of the longest term provided for the offence, or fine, or both-According as offence abetted is cognizable or non-cognizable-Bailable-Triable by court by which offence abetted is triable-Non-compoundable.

Comments

Allegations of conspiracy in committing murder by group of 30 to 40 persons even though a strong suspicion raised regarding involvement of respondent where incident led to murder, prosecution evidence inconsistent - reversal of acquittal was proper; State of Haryana v. Pradeep Kumar, 1999 SCC (Cr) 358: 1999 (1) Crime 8 (SC).