IPC Section 97
IPC Section 97 – Act done in good faith for the benefit of a person
Section 97 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with acts done in good faith for the benefit of someone, which might otherwise be an offense. It provides protection from criminal liability if certain conditions are met.
Exact Wording (Simplified):
“Nothing is an offense which is done in good faith for the benefit of a person who is under the care or protection of the doer, even if it causes harm, as long as the act is intended for the person’s benefit and is done without ill-will.”
Key Points of Section 97
Good Faith:
The act must be done honestly, with good intentions, and for the benefit of the person.
Bad intentions, spite, or malice will not be protected.
Benefit of the Person:
The act should be intended to help the person, even if it accidentally causes harm.
Example: Administering medicine to a sick person without proper consent but with the intention of saving their life.
Protection from Criminal Liability:
If these conditions are met, the person performing the act will not be held criminally responsible under IPC.
Care or Protection:
The section usually applies when the person acting is responsible for the care of the other person.
Example: Parents, guardians, teachers, or doctors may come under this section.
Examples
Medical Example:
A doctor performs a surgery urgently to save a patient’s life.
Even if there are complications that cause harm, the doctor is protected under Section 97 because the act was in good faith for the patient’s benefit.
Parental Example:
A parent gives a child medicine to treat a fever without the child’s consent (because the child is too young).
If the child suffers mild side effects, the parent is not criminally liable if the act was in good faith.
Important Points
The protection is not absolute.
If the act was done with negligence, rashness, or bad intent, Section 97 does not apply.
It mainly provides moral and legal protection for actions done in honest intent to help others.
In simple words:
“If you do something honestly to help someone, even if it accidentally causes harm, you are generally not committing a crime, as long as your intention was purely to benefit them.”
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