Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967
Section 38: Offence relating to membership of a terrorist organisation
(1) A person, who associates himself, or professes to be associated, with a terrorist organisation with intention to further its activities, commits an offence relating to membership of a terrorist organisation:
Provided that this sub-section shall not apply where the person charged is able to prove—
(a) that the organisation was not declared as a terrorist organisation at the time when he became a member or began to profess to be a member; and
(b) that he has not taken part in the activities of the organisation at any time during its inclusion in the [First Schedule] as a terrorist organisation.
(2) A person, who commits the offence relating to membership of a terrorist organisation under sub-section (1), shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years, or with fine, or with both.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 15 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 38
- Mohd Ilyas v. Directorate of Enforcement
- Parvez Ahmed v. Directorate of Enforcement
- Abdul Muqeet v. Directorate of Enforcement
- Hina Bashir Beigh v. National Investigation Agency
- Javed Ali @ Javed v. National Investigation Agency
- Sadiya Anwar Shaikh v. National Investigation Agency
- O.M.A. Salam v. National Investigation Agency
- Mohsin Ibrahim Sayyed v. National Investigation Agency
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Agency Chennai Branch v. Barakathullah etc.
The respondents-accused were arrested for the alleged offences under section 120(b), 153(A), 153(AA) of IPC and Section 13, 17, 18, 18(B), 38 and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1957. The High Court…
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National Investigation Agency New Delhi v. Owais Amin @ Cherry & Ors.
Applicability of Section 196-A of Code of Criminal Procedure SVT., 1989 vis-à-vis the provisions and mandate contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
- Ammar Abdul Rahiman v. National Investigation Agency
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The State of West Bengal v. Jayeeta Das
Whether the order dated 07.04.2022, whereby the Chief Judge cum City Sessions Court permitted the addition of the offences under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 to the case suffer from any illegality or…
- Suhail Ahmad Thokar v. National Investigation Agency
- Khoiram Ranjit Singh @ Rocky @ Great Macha @ Poerei Meitei v. State (Nia)
- Arup Bhuyan v. State of Assam & Anr.
- Zeeshan Qamar v. State of NCT Delhi
- Jahir Hak v. The State of Rajasthan
- Waheed-Ur-Rehman Parra v. Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir
- Thwaha Fasal v. Union of India
- Naser Bin Abu Bakr Yafai v. The State of Maharashtra & Anr.
- Gautam Navlakha v. National Investigation Agency
- Union of India v. K. A. Najeeb
- Union of India v. Yasmeen Mohammad Zahid @ Yasmeen
- National Investigation Agency v. Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali
- Romila Thapar and Ors. v. Union of India and Ors.