BNS Section 158: Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such a prisoner
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter 7: Of Offences Against the State
Also available in: हिंदी
¶158. 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.
Study: explanations and related material
Replaces IPC 130. IPC → BNS converterSource: BPR&D BNS–IPC corresponding section table (UP Police, 2024-06-28)
Punishment, bail and trial
158Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner.
- Punishment
- Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for 10 years and fine.
- Cognizable or not
- Cognizable
- Bailable or not
- Non‑bailable
- Triable by
- Court of Session
Source: BNSS First Schedule, Gazette of India, 25 December 2023, p. 169. The Schedule gives the substance of the section, not its full definition, and a State may have amended the classification for its territory. See it in the full First Schedule
Official reference: Ministry of Home Affairs: Gazette text, 25 December 2023 — source link checked: 2 October 2026.Recorded edition / snapshot date: 2024-07-01.Mobile-app reference import; the recorded snapshot date is not a fresh legal-currency guarantee. The linked government text is an independent authoritative reference, not certification that this website reproduces the same edition. The source link was checked, not every provision or subsequent amendment. Check commencement notifications, savings and jurisdiction-specific variations separately.
This text is for reference, not legal advice. Consult the official source for the authoritative text.
Other sections in this chapter
- 147. Waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against Government of India
- 148. Conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 147
- 149. Collecting arms, etc., with intention of waging war against Government of India
- 150. Concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war
- 151. Assaulting President, Governor, etc., with intent to compel or restrain exercise of any lawful power
- 152. Act endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India
- 153. Waging war against Government of any foreign State at peace with the Government of India
- 154. Committing depredation on territories of foreign State at peace with the Government of India
- 155. Receiving property taken by war or depredation mentioned in sections 153 and 154
- 156. Public servant voluntarily allowing a prisoner of State or war to escape
- 157. Public servant negligently suffering such a prisoner to escape