Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

BNS Section 68

Sexual intercourse by a person in authority

In one line

BNS Section 68 deals with sexual intercourse by a person in authority and replaces IPC 376C.

Punishment, bail and court

SectionOffencePunishmentCognizableBailableTriable by
68Sexual intercourse by a person in authority, etc.Rigorous imprisonment for not less than 5 years, but which may extend to 10 years and fine.Cognizable.Non-bailable.Court of Session.

Source: First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. The punishment column is the Schedule’s summary; the section text below is what prescribes the punishment. Classification decides procedure (arrest, bail as of right, which court), not the result of any particular case.

Bare act text — BNS 68

68. Sexual intercourse by a person in authority.

Whoever, being— (a) in a position of authority or in a fiduciary relationship; or (b) a public servant; or (c) superintendent or manager of a jail, remand home or other place of custody established by or under any law for the time being in force, or a women’s or children’s institution; or (d) on the management of a hospital or being on the staff of a hospital, abuses such position or fiduciary relationship to induce or seduce any woman either in his custody or under his charge or present in the premises to have sexual intercourse with him, such sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape, shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment of either description 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. Explanation 1.— In this section, “sexual intercourse” shall mean any of the acts mentioned in clauses (a) to (d) of section 63. Explanation 2.— For the purposes of this section, Explanation 1 to section 63 shall also be applicable. Explanation 3.— “Superintendent”, in relation to a jail, remand home or other place of custody or a women’s or children’s institution, includes a person holding any other office in such jail, remand home, place or institution by virtue of which such person can exercise any authority or control over its inmates. Explanation 4.—The expressions “hospital” and “women’s or children’s institution” shall respectively have the same meanings as in clauses (b) and (d) of the Explanation to sub-section (2) of section 64.

Frequently asked

What was BNS Section 68 in the IPC?

BNS Section 68 (Sexual intercourse by a person in authority) replaces Section 376C of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. IPC 376C is now BNS 68.

What is the punishment under BNS 68?

Sexual intercourse by a person in authority, etc – punishable with rigorous imprisonment of either description 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. Under the First Schedule to the BNSS, 2023 it is cognizable and non-bailable, triable by court of Session.

Is BNS 68 bailable?

Non-bailable: BNS 68. Bail in a non-bailable offence is at the court's discretion; the classification decides procedure, not the outcome of a particular bail application.

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