Crime in India-2014 178 Chapter - 21 Offences Against the State Introduction Broadly speaking, all crimes are against the state, or government, insofar as it disturbs the public order. But there are some criminal activities that are directed against the existence of the state itself viz. treason, sedition, and rebellion. Treason is the crime of betraying a nation by acts considered dangerous to its security like selling military secrets to a foreign power, giving aid to the enemy in time of war etc. Sedition refers generally to the offence related to conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or government. Rebellion is the attempted overthrow of a government; if it succeeds it is a coup, or revolution. In addition to these crimes treated as offences against the State, the Bureau also included offences promoting enmity between different groups as ‘Offences Against the State’ as it disturb tranquility in the society and very prejudicial to national integration. Offences against the State (under sections 121, 121A, 122, 123 & 124-A IPC) and offences promoting enmity between different groups (under sections 153A & 153 B IPC) are construed as ‘Offences Against the State’. The Bureau has started collecting data on such offences under the revised proformae of ‘Crime in India’ since 2014. Total offences against the State A total of 512 cases of total offences against the State were reported during 2014. Maximum number of such cases were reported in Kerala (72 cases) followed by Assam (56 cases), Karnataka (46 cases), Rajasthan (39 cases), Maharashtra (34 cases) and Meghalaya (32 cases). A total of 872 persons (865 male and 7 female) were arrested under total such offences committed against State during 2014. Maximum number of persons arrested under such offences were reported in Maharashtra (204 out of 872 persons), accounting for 23.4% of total such arrests during 2014. Offences against the State (under sections 121, 121A, 122, 123 & 124-A IPC) A total of 176 cases of offences against the State (under section 121, 121A, 122, 123 & 124A IPC) were reported during 2014. Assam has reported 56 such cases accounting for 31.8% of total such cases reported in the country followed by Meghalaya (32 cases), Bihar (20 cases), Jharkhand (18 cases), and Manipur (10 cases) during 2014. Out of 176 such cases, 47 cases were reported under sedition (section 124A IPC) during 2014. Jharkhand and Bihar have reported 18 cases and 16 cases respectively of total sedition cases, these two States together accounted for 72.3% of total sedition cases during 2014. Besides, 5 cases in Kerala, 2 cases each in West Bengal & Odisha and 1 case each in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh & Himachal Pradesh were also reported during 2014. Under the offences of waging war or attempt/conspiring to wage war or collecting arms for this purpose etc. (under section 121, 121A, 122 & 123), a total of 129 cases were reported wherein maximum cases were reported in Assam (55 cases) followed by Meghalaya (32 cases) and Manipur (10 cases), these three States together accounted for 75.2% of total such cases in the country during 2014. For 176 cases of offence against the State (section 121, 121A, 122, 123 & 124A IPC), a total of 224 persons, consisting of 220 male and 4 female, were arrested during 2014. Maximum persons under these offences were arrested in Meghalaya (67 persons against 32 cases) followed by Assam (57 persons against 55 cases) during 2014. A total of 58 persons were arrested for the offences of sedition during 2014. Maximum persons under this offence were arrested in Bihar (28 persons) followed by Jharkhand (18 persons) during 2014.