144. (1) Whoever, knowingly or having reason to believe that a child has been trafficked, engages such child for sexual exploitation in any manner, shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than five years, but which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine. (2) Whoever, knowingly or having reason to believe that a person has been trafficked, engages such person for sexual exploitation in any manner, shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years, but which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
BNS Section 144: Exploitation of a trafficked person
Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 deals with exploitation of a trafficked person. It replaces IPC 370A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. Under the BNSS First Schedule, it depends on the sub-section: 144(1) is cognizable and non-bailable; 144(2) is cognizable and non-bailable.
Ask on WhatsApp, free, no signup:
Bail, cognizability and punishment
| Section | Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 144(1) | Exploitation of a trafficked child. | Rigorous imprisonment for not less than 5 years but which may extend to 10 years and fine. | Cognizable | Non-bailable | Court of Session |
| 144(2) | Exploitation of a trafficked person. | Rigorous imprisonment for not less than 3 years but which may extend to 7 years and fine. | Cognizable | Non-bailable | Court of Session |
Source: BNSS, 2023, First Schedule, Part I.
Text of BNS Section 144
IPC sections replaced
- IPC 370A: Exploitation of a trafficked person
Ask CaseMinister about BNS 144
Your 24×7 legal assistant on WhatsApp answers with the judgments that apply, in English or Hindi. No signup needed.