Home / India / Karnataka, India
Karnataka, India State law
State law + central baseline (BNS 2023)
Jurisdiction Central criminal law (BNS 2023, NDPS Act, IT Act, Arms Act, Motor Vehicles Act) applies in Karnataka except where a state law below adds penalties. Karnataka Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act 1985 provides preventive detention (no offence penalty ranges — not encoded as tiers).
0 verified · 16 possibly — unconfirmed · 0 verification pending
Offences by family
Against the person
Assault (aggravated) Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty.
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
- Statute
- BNS ss. 116–118
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Assault (simple) Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty.
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
- Statute
- BNS ss. 114–115
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Domestic violence Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty. Domestic violence in India is a framework, NOT a single offence: the PWDVA 2005 provides reliefs (ss. 18–23, no penalties); penalties come from PWDVA breach provisions and BNS ss. 85–86.
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
- Statute
- PWDVA 2005 + BNS ss. 85–86
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Homicide — manslaughter Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty. Do not label “manslaughter” as if the BNS used the word — the BNS charges culpable homicide not amounting to murder (ss. 100 / 101 / 105).
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
- Statute
- BNS ss. 100 / 101 / 105
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Homicide — murder Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty.
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
- Statute
- BNS ss. 101 / 103 / 104
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Sexual offences
Sexual assault / rape Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty.
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
- Statute
- BNS ss. 63–71
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Property
Burglary Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty. Do not label “burglary” as if the BNS used the word — the BNS charges house-trespass / house-breaking (ss. 330–331).
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
- Statute
- BNS ss. 330–331
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Robbery Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty.
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
- Statute
- BNS s. 309
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Theft Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty.
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
- Statute
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) s. 303
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors beyond tier, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Vandalism / criminal damage Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty.
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
- Statute
- BNS s. 324
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Fraud & financial
Fraud Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty.
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
- Statute
- BNS s. 318
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Drugs
Drug possession Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty.
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
Note on this entry State overlap: Karnataka Excise Act s. 32(2)(b) also penalises cultivation of / failure to check spontaneous growth of the hemp plant (see the DUI entry for the s. 32 penalty range). NDPS Act penalties govern ganja/charas — see the central tier.
- Statute
- NDPS Act (central) + Karnataka Excise Act 1965 s. 32(2)(b) (hemp)
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors (except s. 31 note), intent, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Drug trafficking / sale Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty.
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
- Statute
- NDPS Act ss. 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 27A
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, intent, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Weapons
Weapons offences Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty.
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
- Statute
- Arms Act 1959 s. 25 (post-2019)
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Traffic & transport
DUI / drink driving Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range State excise penalties for alcohol/intoxicant offences (DUI-adjacent). The central MV Act s. 185 drink-driving offence also applies — see the central tier.
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
s. 32(1) — illegal import/export/transport/manufacture/collect/possess intoxicant, 1st offence Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- Rigorous imprisonment 1–5 years
- Fine
- Fine ₹10,000–₹50,000
Imprisonment AND fine.
s. 32(1) — same, 2nd or subsequent offence Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- Rigorous imprisonment 2–5 years
- Fine
- Fine ₹20,000–₹50,000
Imprisonment AND fine.
s. 32(2) — sale, hemp cultivation, toddy tapping, distillery, manufacturing materials, bottling Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- Rigorous imprisonment 1–5 years
- Fine
- Fine ₹5,000–₹20,000
1st-offence minimum 1 year + ₹5,000 per the proviso.
s. 34 — illegal possession of duty-evaded intoxicant, 1st offence Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- Imprisonment 1–4 years
- Fine
- Fine ₹10,000–₹50,000
Fine not less than 4× the duty leviable.
s. 34 — same, 2nd or subsequent offence Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- Imprisonment 2–4 years
- Fine
- Fine ₹20,000–₹50,000
Fine not less than 4× the duty leviable.
Note on this entry s. 32(3) (consumption in a public place) is NOT encoded: reproductions conflict on the fine cap (₹1,000 vs ₹5,000).
- Statute
- Karnataka Excise Act 1965 ss. 32 / 34 + Motor Vehicles Act 1988 s. 185 (central)
- Official source
- Indian Kanoon reproduction of Karnataka Excise Act 1965 (non-official)
- Verification note
- Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Figures rest on Act-text reproductions; a direct official-text re-check is still required.
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, 3-year window unresolved, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Cyber & digital
Cybercrime / hacking Possibly — unconfirmed
Read this before the range Central law applies — no separate state penalty.
Possibly — unconfirmed Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Central law applies — see India entry Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- —
- Fine
- —
No separate state penalty; the central statute governs.
- Statute
- IT Act 2000 (2008 amendment)
- Official source
- India Code (central entry — see India file); no separate state penalty located
- Verification note
- Central-law range — see India entry; direct India Code confirmation still required (India Code direct fetch returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-19).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not
“your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, plea, discretion. If you face a real charge, consult a
licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.