Exploitation of a trafficked person
Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 deals with exploitation of a trafficked person. 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 f The Act came into force on 01 Jul 2024.
(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.
Section 144, The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act 45 of 2023).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
Referred to by 1
How this offence is classified
From the First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, which classifies every offence under the Sanhita. Cognizable means a police officer may arrest without warrant; bailable means bail is a matter of right rather than of the court's discretion. This section is classified 2 ways.
| Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| 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. |
Questions about Section 144
What does Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita deal with?
Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita is headed "Exploitation of a trafficked person". 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 f
Is Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita bailable?
Non-bailable, under the First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
Is Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita cognizable?
Cognizable. "Cognizable" means a police officer may arrest without warrant; "non-cognizable" that they may not. An offence under this section is triable by Court of Session.
How do I find court cases under Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: BNS 144, section 144 BNS, section 144 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. People searching for it also type bns 144 maintenance and bns 144(3). Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.
What should I read with Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and has it changed?
1 other provision in this corpus refers back to it.
When did Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita come into force?
Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, cited as BNS 144, came into force on 01 Jul 2024, having been enacted on 25 Dec 2023. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
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Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 14 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.