156. Whoever, being a public servant and having the custody of any State prisoner or prisoner of war, voluntarily allows such prisoner to escape from any place in which such prisoner is confined, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
IPC Section 128 in BNS: Section 156
Public servant voluntarily allowing prisoner of state or war to escape
Section 128 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Public servant voluntarily allowing prisoner of state or war to escape) corresponds to Section 156 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in force from 1 July 2024. Under the BNSS First Schedule, BNS 156 is cognizable, non-bailable, triable by Court of Session; punishment: Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for 10 years and fine.
Bail, cognizability and punishment
| Section | Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 156 | Public servant voluntarily allowing prisoner of state or war in his custody to escape. | Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for 10 years and fine. | Cognizable | Non-bailable | Court of Session |
Source: BNSS, 2023, First Schedule, Part I.
The BNS applies to offences committed on or after 1 July 2024. Offences committed earlier are charged and tried under the IPC.
Text of BNS Section 156
Full BNS Section 156 and every IPC section it replaced →
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