BNS Section 272: Malignant Act Likely to Spread Infection of a Disease Dangerous to Life (IPC 270 Mapping) (2026)
What Section 272 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) covers, a malignant act likely to spread the infection of a disease dangerous to life, how it maps to the old Section 270 of the IPC, the punishment, and how it differs from the negligent version. Last verified October 2026.
Explainer · Criminal Law · BNS
Section 272 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) punishes a malignant act that is likely to spread the infection of a disease dangerous to life. The BNS is the new criminal code in force since 1 July 2024, and Section 272 replaced Section 270 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The punishment is imprisonment up to two years, or a fine, or both. If you searched "BNS section 272" expecting food adulteration, note that the number has shifted: food adulteration is now Section 274 of the BNS. This explainer sets out what Section 272 actually covers, how it maps to the old law, the punishment, and what changed. Last verified October 2026.
- New section: a malignant act likely to spread infection of a disease dangerous to life is Section 272 of the BNS, in force since 1 July 2024.
- Old section: it replaced Section 270 of the IPC (not the old Section 272, which was food adulteration).
- Punishment: imprisonment up to two years, or a fine, or both. Cognizable, bailable, triable by any Magistrate.
- Watch the number: food adulteration is now Section 274 of the BNS.
01Why the section number matters now
Since 1 July 2024, the Indian Penal Code (IPC) is replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS). Many section numbers moved. The public health offences that sat in Sections 269 to 272 of the IPC have been renumbered, and the content has shifted by two places.
This causes real confusion. Under the old IPC, "Section 272" meant adulteration of food or drink intended for sale. Under the BNS, Section 272 means something different: a malignant act likely to spread the infection of a disease dangerous to life. Food adulteration now sits in Section 274 of the BNS. So if you are reading an FIR or a charge sheet for an offence on or after 1 July 2024, you must read the number against the correct code.
02What Section 272 covers
Section 272 of the BNS punishes a person who malignantly does any act which is, and which the person knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life.
The word "malignantly" is the heart of this section. It means the act is done with an evil or deliberate intent, not by mere carelessness. A person who knowingly moves among others while carrying a dangerous contagious disease, meaning to pass it on, is the kind of conduct this section is aimed at.
Two sister sections, read them together
Section 271 of the BNS punishes the negligent version of the same act, a careless act likely to spread infection. Section 272 punishes the malignant version, where the intent is deliberate. Because the second is worse, it carries a heavier punishment. Disobedience of a quarantine rule is dealt with separately in Section 273 of the BNS.
03Key ingredients
To bring a case under Section 272, the prosecution must show each of these:
- the accused did an act;
- the act was likely to spread the infection of a disease;
- the disease is one that is dangerous to life;
- the accused did it malignantly, that is, knew or had reason to believe the act was likely to spread that infection.
The dividing line between Section 271 and Section 272 is the mental element. Negligence, a failure to take care, falls under Section 271. A deliberate or evil-minded act falls under Section 272. The disease must be dangerous to life, so a minor ailment does not attract this section.
04Old to new: IPC 270 to BNS 272
Section 270 of the IPC is now Section 272 of the BNS. The wording is carried over almost unchanged. What changed is the number, because the whole public health group shifted.
| Offence | Old law (IPC) | New law (BNS) |
|---|---|---|
| Negligent act likely to spread infection | Section 269 | Section 271 |
| Malignant act likely to spread infection | Section 270 | Section 272 |
| Disobedience to quarantine rule | Section 271 | Section 273 |
| Adulteration of food or drink for sale | Section 272 | Section 274 |
So the old "Section 272 IPC" (food adulteration) is not the same as the new "Section 272 BNS". This is a common source of error, so always confirm which code applies before you cite the number.
05Punishment and classification
The punishment under Section 272 is imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or a fine, or both.
On classification, the offence under Section 272 is:
- Cognizable: the police can register an FIR and investigate without prior approval of a court.
- Bailable: bail is a matter of right, subject to conditions.
- Triable by any Magistrate.
Negligent versus malignant
The negligent version in Section 271 carries a lighter maximum, up to six months. Section 272 carries up to two years because the act is deliberate. Both turn on a disease that is dangerous to life.
06What changed from the old law
For this offence, the change is mostly the number and the modern drafting. The ingredients and the punishment are carried over from Section 270 of the IPC, so case law under the old section still guides how Section 272 is read.
The practical change is the risk of confusion with food adulteration, which held the number 272 under the IPC and now sits at Section 274 of the BNS. Advocates checking old precedents should map the offence by its name, not only by its number. For the quarantine side of public health offences, see Section 273 of the BNS.
07Where Claw fits
Claw is an all-in-one legaltech platform for Indian advocates, law firms, and corporate legal teams, combining AI-based case search, an AI legal assistant (Legal GPT), case management, and compliance automation across all Indian courts and tribunals.
Public health prosecutions are uncommon enough that how a court has read words like "malignantly" or "dangerous to life" can decide a charge, and those rulings may run from the old Section 270 line of cases to recent orders. Claw lets you search by section, party or advocate across 9,102 courts, benches and forums, covering the Supreme Court from 1950 and High Courts from 1990, and returns matching cases, orders and hearings from a base of 30 crore+ judgments in under 5 seconds.
Anything you upload stays private, because Claw does not use customer documents to train its AI models. Create a free Claw account to trace how this infection offence and the old Section 270 have been treated, or to keep track of a live matter by party or advocate name. To search the wider body of law, see case search across Indian courts.
08Sources and further reading
- India Code (official text of the BNS, 2023): indiacode.nic.in
- PRS Legislative Research (BNS overview and IPC comparison): prsindia.org
- Section 272, BNS (bare text): devgan.in
- Claw: clawlaw.in
This explainer is general information, not legal advice. The law changes through amendments and judgments, so check the current text and take advice from counsel before you act.
09Frequently asked questions
Is BNS Section 272 about food adulteration?
No. Under the BNS, Section 272 is a malignant act likely to spread the infection of a disease dangerous to life, which was Section 270 of the IPC. Food adulteration, which was Section 272 of the IPC, is now Section 274 of the BNS.
What is the punishment under BNS Section 272?
Imprisonment of either description up to two years, or a fine, or both. The offence is cognizable, bailable, and triable by any Magistrate.
What is the difference between BNS Section 271 and Section 272?
Section 271 punishes a negligent act likely to spread infection, up to six months. Section 272 punishes a malignant, that is deliberate, act likely to spread infection, up to two years. Both need a disease dangerous to life.
What does "malignantly" mean here?
It means the act was done with an evil or deliberate intent, with knowledge or reason to believe it was likely to spread the infection. Mere carelessness falls under the negligent offence in Section 271 instead.
Does old case law on IPC Section 270 still apply?
In large part, yes. Because the ingredients and the punishment are carried over, judgments on Section 270 of the IPC still guide how Section 272 of the BNS is read.
Can I track a case under BNS Section 272 in Claw?
Yes. On Claw you can search by section, party or advocate and pull the matching cases, orders and hearings from 9,102 courts, benches and forums in under 5 seconds. It researches and tracks the matter for you but does not give legal advice.