Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

Section 276 BNS - Adulteration of Drugs

Section 276 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 deals with adulterating a drug or medical preparation so that its efficacy is reduced, its operation is changed, or it is made noxious, where the person intends or knows it is likely to be sold or used for a medicinal purpose as though it had not been adulterated.

Updated: 9 September 2026

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Text of Section 276 BNS

276. Adulteration of drugs.

Whoever adulterates any drug or medical preparation in such a manner as to lessen the efficacy or change the operation of such drug or medical preparation, or to make it noxious, intending that it shall be sold or used for, or knowing it to be likely that it will be sold or used for, any medicinal purpose, as if it had not undergone such adulteration, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both.

Meaning of Section 276 BNS

The provision targets intentional adulteration of a drug or medical preparation where the adulteration affects the medicine in a legally significant way. The prohibited change may reduce its efficacy, alter how it operates, or make it harmful or noxious.

Essential ingredients

For Section 276 to apply, the prosecution must establish the relevant act of adulteration together with the required intention or knowledge. In practical terms, the provision contains the following elements:

Subject matterA drug or medical preparation must be involved.
ActThe accused must adulterate the drug or medical preparation.
EffectThe adulteration must lessen efficacy, change operation, or make the drug noxious.
Mental elementThe accused must intend, or know it is likely, that the adulterated drug will be sold or used for a medicinal purpose as if unadulterated.

The section therefore does not merely address the existence of an inferior medicine. It specifically criminalizes adulteration accompanied by the statutory intention or knowledge concerning its medicinal sale or use.

Punishment and classification under BNSS

The punishment prescribed by Section 276 BNS is imprisonment of either description for up to one year, or fine up to Rs. 5,000, or both.

ParticularSection 276 BNS
Maximum imprisonmentUp to 1 year
Maximum fineUp to Rs. 5,000
Cognizable / non-cognizableNon-cognizable
Bailable / non-bailableNon-bailable
Court competent to tryAny Magistrate
Important: The BNSS First Schedule classifies the Section 276 offence as non-cognizable and non-bailable, triable by any Magistrate. This classification should be read with the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and any other applicable special law.

Section 276 BNS at a glance

Section 276 protects public health by penalizing adulteration of medicines where the adulteration reduces efficacy, alters operation, or makes the medicine noxious and the offender intends or knows that the adulterated product is likely to be sold or used for medicinal purposes as if it were unadulterated.