Section 212 of IPC : Section 212: Harbouring offender. - if a capital offence ; if punishable with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment

Explanation using Example

Example 1:

Ravi knows that his friend, Arjun, has committed a murder, which is a capital offence punishable by death. To help Arjun avoid arrest, Ravi hides him in his house and provides him with food and shelter. When the police discover that Ravi has been harbouring Arjun, Ravi is arrested and charged under Section 212 of the Indian Penal Code. Since the offence Arjun committed is punishable with death, Ravi faces imprisonment for up to five years and may also be fined.

Example 2:

Priya is aware that her cousin, Suresh, has committed a serious crime of armed robbery, which is punishable with imprisonment for life. Priya helps Suresh by giving him money and arranging for him to stay at a friend's place to avoid being caught by the police. When the authorities find out about Priya's actions, she is charged under Section 212. Since the offence Suresh committed is punishable with imprisonment for life, Priya could be sentenced to imprisonment for up to three years and may also be fined.

Example 3:

Sunita knows that her neighbor, Ramesh, has committed a minor theft, which is punishable with imprisonment for up to one year. Sunita allows Ramesh to hide in her house to evade the police. When the police discover this, Sunita is charged under Section 212. Since the offence Ramesh committed is punishable with imprisonment for up to one year, Sunita could be sentenced to imprisonment for up to three months (one-fourth of the longest term of imprisonment for the offence) or fined, or both.

Example 4:

Vikram is aware that his brother, Rajesh, has committed a crime of dacoity, which is punishable with imprisonment for life. Vikram helps Rajesh by providing him with a place to hide and money to escape the city. When the police find out about Vikram's involvement, he is charged under Section 212. However, since Vikram is Rajesh's brother, he is exempt from punishment under the exception provided in the section, which states that harbouring by a husband or wife of the offender is not punishable.