Conveying person by water for hire in unsafe or overloaded vessel
Section 284 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 deals with conveying person by water for hire in unsafe or overloaded vessel. Whoever knowingly or negligently conveys, or causes to be conveyed for hire, any person by water in any vessel, when that vessel is in such a state or so loaded as to endanger the life of that person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months The Act came into force on 01 Jul 2024.
Whoever knowingly or negligently conveys, or causes to be conveyed for hire, any person by water in any vessel, when that vessel is in such a state or so loaded as to endanger the life of that person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both.
Section 284, The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act 45 of 2023).
Replaces a provision of the Indian Penal Code
IPC 282 Conveying person by water for hire in unsafe or overloaded vessel Text carried over almost unchanged 98%
Measured by comparing the text of the two provisions, not taken from an official correspondence table — there is no machine-readable one. See both texts side by side before relying on it.
Both regimes are live. The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force. We never redirect one to the other.
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.
| Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conveying person by water for hire in unsafe or overloaded vessel. | Imprisonment for 6 months, or fine of 5,000 rupees, or both. | Cognizable. | Bailable. | Any Magistrate. |
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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Raju Kha vs State of U.p.
Decided under Indian Penal Code 282, which this section replaces. The court did not have this Act before it.
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
In cases where an accused is not named in the FIR but implicated only through a co-accused's confessional statement, and where no incriminating material is recovered from the accused's possession, the absence of direct evidence and corroborating material constitutes sufficient grounds for granting bail during trial, provided stringent conditions are imposed to ensure court attendance and prevent witness intimidation or evidence tampering.
On this section: Charge of criminal intimidation - substantive charge against the applicant
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Questions about Section 284
What have the courts held on Section 284 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?
Raju Kha vs State of U.p. (12 Mar 2021) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below, though it was decided under IPC 282, which this section replaced -- the court never mentioned this Act: Charge of criminal intimidation - substantive charge against the applicant.
Is Section 284 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita bailable?
Bailable, under the First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
Is Section 284 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 Any Magistrate.
How do I find court cases under Section 284 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 284, section 284 BNS, section 284 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. People searching for it also type 284 bns act and 284 bns punishment. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with Raju Kha vs State of U.p. (12 Mar 2021).
What should I read with Section 284 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and has it changed?
It carries forward IPC 282 (Conveying person by water for hire in unsafe or overloaded vessel), so the judgments decided under that provision are the case law on this one.
When did Section 284 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita come into force?
Section 284 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, cited as BNS 284, 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 15 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.