BNS Section 156 — Public servant voluntarily allowing prisoner of State or war to escape

Summary

A public servant who has custody of a State prisoner or a prisoner of war, and who voluntarily allows that prisoner to escape from the place where the prisoner is confined, commits an offence. The punishment for this offence is imprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either description for a term that may extend to ten years, and the person is also liable to a fine.

Official Text

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.

Related Judgments

• SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1309 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.11 p.291 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.6 p.280 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1531 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2024) Vol.8 p.670 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
• SC (2024) Vol.6 p.129 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
• SC (2025) Vol.2 p.80 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.4 p.2730 — Supreme Court of India (2025)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• IPC §128 — Public servant voluntarily allowing prisoner of State or war to escape