Recently, my friend asked me if is it illegal to sell someone else's property. I clearly told him, yes, in India, selling property that you do not legally own is definitely unlawful. It is a serious offense punishable under both civil and criminal law. Under the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, only the rightful owner or someone lawfully authorized, like a Power of Attorney (POA) holder, has the right to transfer property. I have more details about it below.
What Happens If You Sell Something That Isn't Yours?
Selling someone else’s property can qualify as a civil wrong, often categorized under conversion, where unauthorized interference with someone else’s property rights can result in a civil lawsuit seeking damages or recovery of ownership.
On the criminal side, such acts may trigger charges under multiple IPC provisions:
Section 420 (now Section 318 BNS) for cheating, dishonestly inducing someone to part with property or benefit
Sections 467, 468, and 471 for forgery and fraudulent use of forged documents
Sections 405–409 for criminal breach of trust, if the individual used entrusted property or authority to commit the sale.
I hope you found this information useful.
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Is It Illegal to Sell Someone Else Property?
anubhav
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3 months
2025-08-28T12:09:33+00:00 2025-09-25T21:27:09+00:00Comment
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