or, if the notice or information required to be given is required by an order passed under
sub-section (1) of Section 565 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (V of 1898) with
imprisonment, of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine
which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.
177. Furnishing false information : Whoever, being legally bound to furnish information
on any subject to any public servant, as such, furnishes, as true, information on the
subject which he knows or has reason to believe to be false, shall be punished with simple
imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to
one thousand rupees, or with both;
or, if the information which he is legally bound to give respects the commission of an
offence, or is required for the purpose of preventing the commission of an offence, or in
order to the apprehension of an offender, with imprisonment of either description for a
term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
Illustrations
(a) A, a landholder, knowing of the commission of a murder within the limits of his estate,
wilfully misinforms the Magistrate of the district that the death has occurred by accident in
consequence of the bite of a snake. A is guilty of the offence defined in this section.
(b) A, a village watchman, knowing that a considerable body of strangers has passed
through his village in order to commit a dacoity in the house of Z a wealthy merchant
residing in a neighbouring place, and being bound, under Clause 5, Section Vll,
Regulation III, 1821, of the Bengal Code to give early and punctual information of the
above fact to the officer, of the nearest police station, wilfully misinforms the police-officer
that a body of suspicious characters passed through the village with a view to commit
dacoity in a certain distinct place in .a different direction. Here A is guilty of the offence
defined in the latter part of this section.
Explanation : In Section 176 and in this section the word "offence" includes any act
committed at any place out of Pakistan, which, if committed in Pakistan, would be
punishable under any of the following sections, namely, 302, 304, 382, 392, 393, 394,
395; 396, 397, 398, 399, 402, 435, 436, 449, 450. 457, 458, 459 and 460; and the word
"offender" includes any person who is alleged to have been guilty of any such act.
178. Refusing oath or affirmation when duly required by public servant t make it:
Whoever refuses to bind himself by an oath or affirmation to state the truth, when required
so to bind himself by a public servant legally competent to require that he shall so bind
himself, shall be punished with simple imprisonment far a term which may extend to six
months, or with tine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.
179. Refusing to answer public servant authorised to question : Whoever, being
legally bound to state the truth on any subject to any public servant, refuses to answer any
question demanded of him touching that subject by such public servant in the exercise of
the legal, powers of such public servant shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a