IPC §137 → BNS §165

Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master

ModifiedConfidence: mediumStatus: cross checkedscope drift(observed)
View government sourcemha.gov.in(opens the Indian Penal Code, 1860 PDF on mha.gov.in in a new tab)
Last updated 2026-05-01 · Input coverage: full

Compiled by AI-assisted tools. Text verified against official sources where indicated. Field-level labels (AI-indicated / AI-inferred / Text-verified) apply per edge metadata. Verify current bail/cognizable status against official sources before relying on procedural claims. Last updated: 2026-04-28.

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Comparison

Old law
IPC §137
Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master

137. Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master.—The master or person in charge of a merchant vessel, on board of which any deserter from the Army, 9[Navy or Air Force] of the 10[Government of India] is concealed, shall, though ignorant of such concealment, be liable to a penalty not exceeding five hundred rupees, if he might have known of such concealment but for some neglect of his duty as such master or person in charge, or but for some want of discipline on board of the vessel.

New law
BNS §165
Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master

The master or person in charge of a merchant vessel, on board of which any deserter from the Army, Navy or Air Force of the Government of India is concealed, shall, though ignorant of such concealment, be liable to a penalty not exceeding three thousand rupees, if he might have known of such concealment but for some neglect of his duty as such master or person in charge, or but for some want of discipline on board of the vessel.

What changedAI-inferred

IPC 137 and BNS 165 carry the merchant-vessel-master strict-liability offence (penalty for concealment of a service deserter on board, where the master might have known but for negligence or want of discipline) with one quantitative change: the penalty cap rises from 'five hundred rupees' (IPC 137) to 'three thousand rupees' (BNS 165). The strict-liability framing ('though ignorant of such concealment') and the negligence/discipline trigger are preserved character-identically.

Old position

IPC 137 is concerned with Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master. Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master

New position

BNS 165 modifies the framework. Topic: Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master. The master or person in charge of a merchant vessel, on board of which any deserter from the Army, Navy or Air Force of the Government of India is concealed, shall, though ignorant of such concealment, be liable to a penalty not exceeding

IPC 137 and BNS 165 carry the merchant-vessel-master strict-liability offence (penalty for concealment of a service deserter on board, where the master might have known but for negligence or want of discipline) with one quantitative change: the penalty cap rises from 'five hundred rupees' (IPC 137)...

Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)

BNS 165 carries forward IPC 137's framework for the master-of-merchant-vessel negligent-concealment offence. The visible operative delta is the penalty escalation from five hundred rupees to three thousand rupees. Other elements (knowledge or constructive knowledge of concealment, the master-or-person-in-charge addressee class, the negligent-duty trigger) are preserved.

Transitional note (repeal & savings)

For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 137 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 165 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 165 (Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master). The relationship is classified as modified — see the change-note above for the textual delta.

Government source

The statutory text above is compiled from the Act as published by the Government of India. The links open the full Act; use the PDF's search to find the section number. The linked government pages offer no link to a single section.

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Sources

Cite this page

Newlaws.in, IPC §137 → BNS §165 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-10-29, https://newlaws.in/ipc/137.

Compiled using AI-assisted tools · Source-linked · Last updated 2026-05-01

Not legal advice. Verify against the bare act and consult a qualified advocate for any specific matter.