BNS Section 158 — Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner
Section 158 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 addresses “Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner”. Read the provision below with its qualifications, exceptions and chapter context; the official source is linked alongside it.
158. Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner.—Whoever knowingly aids or assists any State prisoner or prisoner of war in escaping from lawful custody, or rescues or attempts to rescue any such prisoner, or harbours or conceals any such prisoner who has escaped from lawful custody, or offers or attempts to offer any resistance to the recapture of such prisoner, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine. ¶
Explanation.—A State prisoner or prisoner of war, who is permitted to be at large on his parole within certain limits in India, is said to escape from lawful custody if he goes beyond the limits within which he is allowed to be at large. ¶
Source edition: 6 October 2025. This preview uses extracted India Code text. Editorial verification and checks for subsequent amendments and commencement notifications are pending. About the source →