BNS §158
Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner
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Comparison
130. 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 2[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 3[India], is said to escape from lawful custody if he goes beyond the limits within which he is allowed to be at large. CHAPTER VII OF OFFENCES RELATINGTO THE ARMY, 4[NAVY AND AIR FORCE]
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.
What changedAI-inferred
IPC 130 and BNS 158 carry the aiding-escape, rescuing, harbouring, or resisting-recapture-of-State-prisoner-or-prisoner-of-war offence character-identically. The parole-limits Explanation (a State prisoner or prisoner of war permitted to be at large on parole within certain limits in India is said to escape from lawful custody if he goes beyond those limits) is preserved verbatim. Imprisonment for life or up to 10 years; fine.
Old position
IPC 130 is concerned with Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner. Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner
New position
BNS 158 preserves the framework with drafting modernisations as required by the new code. Topic: 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
IPC 130 and BNS 158 carry the aiding-escape, rescuing, harbouring, or resisting-recapture-of-State-prisoner-or-prisoner-of-war offence character-identically. The parole-limits Explanation (a State prisoner or prisoner of war permitted to be at large on parole within certain limits in India is said...
Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)
IPC 130 and BNS 158 carry the aiding-escape, rescuing, harbouring, or resisting-recapture-of-State-prisoner-or-prisoner-of-war offence character-identically. The parole-limits Explanation (a State prisoner or prisoner of war permitted to be at large on parole within certain limits in India is said to escape from lawful custody if he goes beyond those limits) is preserved verbatim. Imprisonment for life or up to 10 years; fine.
Transitional note (repeal & savings)
For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 130 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 158 applies. The transition is governed by the repeal-and-savings clause in the new code (BNS 358 / BNSS 531 / BSA 170 as the case may be); pending proceedings under the old code carry forward unaffected.
Frequently asked
BNS 158 (Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner). The relationship is classified as substantively_same — see the change-note above for the textual delta.
Sources
- India Code — Indian Penal Code, 1860
- Gazette of India — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
Cite this page
Newlaws.in, IPC §130 → BNS §158 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-12, https://newlaws.in/bns/158.
Compiled using AI-assisted tools · Source-linked · Last updated 2026-05-01
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