BACK TO SECTIONS
IPC 1860REPEALED
Section 127
Receiving Property Taken by War or Depredation Mentioned in Sections 125 and 126
Replaced by: BNS 151
Non-BailableCognizable: CognizableCourt of Session
THE STATUTE
Original Text
Whoever receives any property knowing the same to have been taken in the commission of any of the offences mentioned in sections 125 and 126, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine and to forfeiture of the property so received.
Simplified
Section 127 completes the legislative framework around waging war against or committing depredations upon nations at peace with India — targeting those who receive the proceeds of such conduct. Sections 125 (waging war against Asiatic powers at peace with India) and 126 (committing depredation on territories of allied powers) established the primary offences; Section 127 ensures that the downstream beneficiaries who receive plundered property are equally implicated in criminal liability. The provision mirrors the receiving stolen property framework (Section 411) but applies specifically in the context of international armed conflict and depredation. The forfeiture of property received is a mandatory additional consequence — the receiver cannot benefit from the international crime. This provision is primarily of strategic and academic relevance today, as India's peaceful international relations and robust border security make the specific scenario of depredations against allied territory unusual.
Legal Evolution
Sections 125–130 were the IPC's framework for protecting India's international relationships and preventing Indian territory from being used as a base for attacks on friendly powers — reflecting British India's complex treaty relationships in Asia. Post-independence, India's constitutional commitment to peaceful coexistence makes these provisions rarely invoked but important safeguards.
Practical Scenarios
"Knowingly purchasing goods looted during an armed raid on a neighbouring country's border village — Section 127."
"Receiving and storing weapons or valuables taken during a cross-border depredation operation — Section 127."
Common Queries
Depredation refers to plundering, pillaging, or raiding — systematically seizing property from a territory or population by force. The sections cover property seized during armed raids or military-style attacks on friendly foreign territory.