Section 76 of the Indian Penal Code: Nothing is an offence which is done by a person who is, 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, bound by law to do it.[i]
Mistake of fact
arises when an accused misunderstood some fact that negates an element of
crime. This legal weapon can be used, where accused succeeds to prove that
he/she was mistaken to the existence of some facts or ignorant of the existence
of such facts. It is a condition that such mistake must pertain to fact not
law.
In R v.
Princes (1875) LR 2 CCR 154, in this case, the accused was charged of
unlawfully taking an unmarried girl of 16 years against the will of her father,
it was found that the accused had bona fide and reasonable belief that the girl
was older than 16 years. It was held that the defense was not valid on the
ground that act of abduction is a wrongful and immoral act.[ii]
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-defense.
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