Section 421: Prohibition of transferring other’s property

1) No person shall transfer property to another person in which anyone else has rights and ownership.

2) If any person transfers a property in contravention of sub-section (1), such a deed or transaction shall be void.

3) If the real owner makes a claim in the property transferred pursuant to sub-section (1), the transferee of such property shall return it to the concerned owner.

4) If a person finds any lost or stolen property, the owner of such property may claim it, along with evidence showing his or her ownership, within three years after the date on which the property was lost or stolen.

5) If any person claims such property pursuant to sub-section (4), the finder of that property shall return it to the owner, by collecting the amount of expenses, if any, incurred in its preservation or maintenance.

6) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (4), if a person has acquired any stolen or lost property by way of purchase at a public market or auction or bidding made publicly by any person or body, the person shall not be bound to return such property to the real owner unless and until he or she obtains the real value of such property and the fees or amount, if any, paid by him or her in the acquisition of such property.