Sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means, etc
Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 deals with sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means, etc. Whoever, by deceitful means or by making promise to marry to a woman without any intention of fulfilling the same, has sexual intercourse with her, such sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to t The Act came into force on 01 Jul 2024.
Whoever, by deceitful means or by making promise to marry to a woman without any intention of fulfilling the same, has sexual intercourse with her, such sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years and shall also be liable to fine.
Explanation.— “deceitful means” shall include inducement for, or false promise of employment or promotion, or marrying by suppressing identity.
Section 69, 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.
| Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means, etc. | Imprisonment which may extend to 10 years and fine. | Cognizable. | Non-bailable. | Court of Session. |
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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Vandana Mahesh Deshmukh v. State of Maharashtra
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
BNS s.69’s Explanation defines ‘deceitful means’ as inducement for sexual intercourse, false promise of employment/promotion, or marrying by suppressing identity. False promise of marriage alone, without marriage or identity-suppression, does not attract s.69; long consensual relationship without those Explanation elements is outside s.69.
On this section: s.69 — Explanation ‘deceitful means’; false marriage-promise alone ≠ offence without identity-suppression/marriage
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Omkar Mahesh Deshmukh v. State of Maharashtra
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
BNS s.69’s Explanation defines ‘deceitful means’ as inducement for sexual intercourse, false promise of employment/promotion, or marrying by suppressing identity. False promise of marriage alone, without marriage or identity-suppression, does not attract s.69; long consensual relationship without those Explanation elements is outside s.69.
On this section: s.69 — Explanation ‘deceitful means’; false marriage-promise alone ≠ offence without identity-suppression/marriage
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Praveen Kumar Dahariya vs The State of Chhattisgarh
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
In cases of alleged sexual assault on a promise of marriage involving an adult victim, where the relationship appears consensual and long-standing, bail may be granted if the investigation is complete and the trial is likely to be prolonged.
On this section: Offence of sexual intercourse by deceitful means or promise to marry.
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 69
What have the courts held on Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?
Vandana Mahesh Deshmukh v. State of Maharashtra (25 Nov 2024) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: s.69 — Explanation ‘deceitful means’; false marriage-promise alone ≠ offence without identity-suppression/marriage. Another 2 judgments on this section are set out below. They run from 2024 to 2025.
Is Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita bailable?
Non-bailable, under the First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
Is Section 69 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 69 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 69, section 69 BNS, section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. People searching for it also type bns 69 in ipc in hindi. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 3 reported judgments on this section are set out on this page, beginning with Vandana Mahesh Deshmukh v. State of Maharashtra (25 Nov 2024).
What should I read with Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and has it changed?
1 other provision in this corpus refers back to it.
When did Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita come into force?
Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, cited as BNS 69, 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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- 3. General explanations858 words
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.