Act Number: 45

Act Name: The Indian Penal Code, 1860

Year: 1860

Enactment Date: 1860-10-06

Long Title: It is expedient to provide a general Penal Code forindia;

Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs

Department: Department of Internal Security

Section 79: Act done by a person justified, or by mistake of fact believing himself justified, by law.
    Nothing is an offence which is done by any person who is justified by law, or who by reason of a mistake of fact and not by reason of a mistake of law in good faith, believes himself to be justified by law, in doing it.
Illustration
    A sees Z commit what appears to A to be a murder. A, in the exercise, to the best of his judgment exerted in good faith, of the power which the law gives to all persons of apprehending murderers in the fact, seizes Z, in order to bring Z before the proper authorities. A has committed no offence, though it may turn out that Z was acting in self-defence.
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