What is the punishment under BNS Section 158?

The punishment for this specific offense is outlined under the new law as: Life Imprisonment or Imprisonment up to Ten Year(s) + Fine.

Is BNS Section 158 bailable or non-bailable?

Under the new legal framework, this specific offense is classified as a Non-bailable offense.

Is BNS Section 158 a cognizable offense?

The legal status regarding police arrest without a warrant is that this offense is Cognizable.

Which court has the jurisdiction to try cases under BNS Section 158?

Cases pertaining to this specific BNS section are triable by the Court of Session.

Can BNS Section 158 be compromised (Compoundable)?

The compoundable nature of this offense, meaning whether the parties can settle it out of court, is classified as: Non-Compoundable (Refer to BNSS 359 for exceptions).

BNS Section 158- Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner | Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023

Hello readers! Today, we are going to break down Section 158 of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. If you've been wondering what exactly this section covers and how it impacts our legal system, you're in the right place.

Bare Act Text

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.

Procedural Details

Punishment

Life Imprisonment or Imprisonment up to Ten Year(s) + Fine

Nature of Offense

Cognizable

Bail Eligibility

Non-bailable

Compoundability

Non-Compoundable (Refer to BNSS 359 for exceptions)

Trial Court

Court of Session

Frequently Asked Questions about BNS Section 158

Pramod Pal Founder and Editor-in-Chief

Pramod is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of StudyHub. He holds a Master's degree and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Geology, alongside more than 7+ years spent building and verifying competitive exam content for Indian aspirants. He leads StudyHub's editorial process across Indian Polity, the Constitution, Indian Economy, History, Geography, Science, and the platform's other subject areas — checking every article against primary sources (bare act text and Gazette notifications for constitutional topics, government and Economic Survey data for economy content, standard reference material elsewhere) and flagging it for re-verification whenever a relevant amendment, policy, or data update makes an earlier version outdated.