Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender.
- Whoever, knowing or having reason to believe that an offence has been
committed, causes any evidence of the commission of that offence to disappear, with the
intention of screening the offender from legal punishment, or with that intention gives any
information respecting the offence which he knows or believes to be false shall,—
(a) if the offence which he knows or believes to have been committed is
punishable with death, be punished with imprisonment of either description for a
term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine;
(b) if the offence is punishable with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment
which may extend to ten years, be punished with imprisonment of either description
for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine;
(c) if the offence is punishable with imprisonment for any term not extending
to ten years, be punished with imprisonment of the description provided for the
offence, for a term which may extend to one-fourth part of the longest term of the
imprisonment provided for the offence, or with fine, or with both.
Illustration.
A, knowing that B has murdered Z, assists B to hide the body with the intention of
screening B from punishment. A is liable to imprisonment of either description for seven
years, and also to fine.