Ram (Raj Kapoor) is a poor law student who supports his education with money orders from his mother and things he pawns. While struggling with his poor finances, he saves a boy from an accident. Seeing the poor condition of the boy's family, he gives all his savings for the boy's treatment. Ram keeps visiting the boy and falls in love with the boy's elder sister Soni (Mala Sinha). Soni's father Gopal (Nana Palsikar) is an alcoholic, which Harbanslal (Jagdish Sethi) keeps providing him with. Harbanslal has a mean motive in doing so as he wants marry Soni. To prevent Soni's arranged marriage with Harbanslal, Ram decides to rob the pawn broker, but he is caught in the act and he murders the pawn owner.

Ram's conscience keeps telling him to admit to his crime, but he never picks up the courage to do so. The police inspector on the case keeps suspecting Ram for the crime. With no proof he, too, is helpless. Ram learns that the police have already arrested another thief and have charged him with this robbery and murder. On the last day, when the court is to rule in the case, Ram makes up his mind and admits. He pleads saying how he was acting in self-defense against real villains of the society. The court sentences him to three years of imprisonment. Soni promises that she will wait for his release and then marry him.