Question:medium

Regarding the offence of ‘Criminal Conspiracy’ as defined under Section 120A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, which of the following statements is legally accurate?

Show Hint

Conspiracy = Agreement + 2 or more people. Unlike other offenses that require an overt act, conspiracy is completed the moment the "meeting of minds" takes place!
Updated On: Jun 8, 2026
  • A solitary individual's mere intention to commit a crime, even without an agreement with others, is sufficient for a conviction.
  • The mere agreement between parties is sufficient to constitute the offence if the intended crime is punishable by death or rigorous imprisonment.
  • It is a substantive offence that is legally barred from being charged in conjunction with other substantive crimes.
  • A minimum of five persons must participate to satisfy the legal definition.
Show Solution

The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Read what the question is really asking.
We need the legally correct statement about criminal conspiracy under Section 120A of the IPC, 1860. So let us understand this offence in plain words first.

Step 2: What is a criminal conspiracy?
Section 120A says a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to do an illegal act, or to do a legal act by illegal means. The key word is agreement. At least two minds must meet.

Step 3: Knock out option A.
Option A says a single person's mere intention is enough. That is wrong. One person alone cannot conspire with himself. You always need two or more people, so A fails.

Step 4: Knock out option D.
Option D says five persons are needed. That is also wrong. The law only requires a minimum of two persons, not five. So D is out.

Step 5: Knock out option C.
Option C says conspiracy cannot be charged along with other crimes. This is false. Conspiracy is a separate, substantive offence and can be charged together with crimes like murder or theft. So C is wrong.

Step 6: Why option B is correct.
Section 120B tells us that when the agreement is to commit a serious offence (one punishable with death, life imprisonment, or rigorous imprisonment for two years or more), the agreement by itself is enough to make it a punishable conspiracy. No extra act is needed. That is exactly what option B says.

Step 7: Final answer.
The agreement itself is the heart of the offence for serious crimes.
\[ \boxed{\text{The mere agreement between parties is sufficient to constitute the offence if the intended crime is punishable by death or rigorous imprisonment.}} \]
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