Section 225B IPC: Resistance, Escape or Rescue in Cases Not Otherwise Provided For
Section 225B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 was a residual provision covering specified resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension, escape or attempted escape from lawful custody, and rescue or attempted rescue from lawful custody where the case was not otherwise provided for by Sections 224 or 225 IPC or another law in force.
Section 225B IPC - statutory provision
Whoever, in any case not provided for in section 224 or section 225 or in any other law for the time being in force, intentionally offers any resistance or illegal obstruction to the lawful apprehension of himself or of any other person, or escapes or attempts to escape from any custody in which he is lawfully detained, or rescues or attempts to rescue any other person from any custody in which that person is lawfully detained, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both.
Meaning and scope of Section 225B IPC
Section 225B operated as a residual provision. Its opening words excluded cases already provided for by Section 224 IPC, Section 225 IPC, or any other law for the time being in force.
Within that residual field, the section covered resistance or illegal obstruction to lawful apprehension, escape or attempted escape from lawful custody, and rescue or attempted rescue of another person from lawful custody.
Essential ingredients of Section 225B IPC
- The case must not be one provided for by Section 224 IPC, Section 225 IPC, or another law for the time being in force.
- There must be intentional resistance or illegal obstruction to the lawful apprehension of the accused himself or another person; or
- the accused must escape or attempt to escape from custody in which he is lawfully detained; or
- the accused must rescue or attempt to rescue another person from custody in which that person is lawfully detained.
- Where the section refers to apprehension or custody, its lawfulness is an express statutory requirement.
Punishment and CrPC classification under Section 225B IPC
| Legal point | Pre-BNS position |
|---|---|
| Punishment | Imprisonment of either description up to 6 months, or fine, or both |
| Cognizable or non-cognizable | Cognizable |
| Bail | Bailable |
| Court competent to try | Any Magistrate |
Resistance or illegal obstruction to lawful apprehension
The first limb of Section 225B covered intentional resistance or illegal obstruction to the lawful apprehension of the accused himself or another person, but only where the situation was not already governed by Section 224, Section 225, or another applicable law.
Escape or attempted escape from lawful custody
The provision also covered a person who escaped or attempted to escape from custody in which he was lawfully detained. The statutory wording expressly included an attempt, so a completed escape was not necessary for this limb to apply.
Rescue or attempted rescue of another person
Section 225B further covered rescuing or attempting to rescue another person from custody in which that person was lawfully detained. Again, the provision applied only as a residual rule where the case was not otherwise provided for.
Why Section 225B is a residual provision
The phrase "in any case not provided for" is central to Section 225B. Before applying the section, the facts had to fall outside Section 224, Section 225 and any other law for the time being in force that specifically governed the conduct.
Section 224, Section 225 and Section 225B IPC
Section 224 IPC dealt with resistance or obstruction by a person to his own lawful apprehension, or his escape or attempted escape from lawful custody, in the circumstances specified there. Section 225 IPC dealt with resistance or obstruction to the lawful apprehension of another person and rescue or attempted rescue in the circumstances covered by that provision. Section 225B supplied a residual rule for cases not otherwise provided for.
Related IPC provisions
Related provisions include Section 221 IPC, Section 222 IPC, Section 223 IPC, Sections 224 and 225 IPC, and Section 225A IPC.
This page describes the Indian Penal Code position before implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The law applicable to a particular matter depends on the relevant facts and date of the alleged conduct.