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A puts his hand in the pocket of B for stealing money, but the pocket was empty. A is guilty of:

This is illustration (b) to IPC section 511: putting a hand into an empty pocket intending theft is an attempt, even though no property is present. The conduct has gone…

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A puts his hand in the pocket of B for stealing money, but the pocket was empty. A is guilty of:

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Correct answer C

This is illustration (b) to IPC section 511: putting a hand into an empty pocket intending theft is an attempt, even though no property is present. The conduct has gone beyond mere preparation, but theft is not completed because nothing is taken. Factual impossibility of success does not turn that attempt into no offence.

Current law: Offences committed from 1 July 2024 are generally governed by the BNS; earlier conduct remains governed by the applicable IPC law. BNS section 62 preserves general attempt liability and the empty-pocket illustration.

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