IPC 137→BNS 165

IPC 137 to BNS 165: Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master

Section 137 IPC (1860) replaced by Section 165 BNS (2023)

View IPC Section 137 →View BNS Section 165 →

IPC 137 to BNS 165 at a Glance

Section 137 IPC (Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master) is now Section 165 BNS, in force from 1 July 2024. Under the BNS it is bailable and non-cognizable. What changed is set out below.

What Changed From IPC 137 to BNS 165?

Section 137 IPC is now Section 165 BNS, with the same title and the same words. The one change is the upper limit of the penalty, which rises from five hundred rupees to three thousand rupees.

IPC 137 vs BNS 165: Comparison Table

AspectIPC 1860 (repealed)BNS 2023 (in force)
Section137165
OffenceDeserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of masterSame
PunishmentNo imprisonment is prescribed.Same
FineThe master or person in charge is liable to a penalty not exceeding five hundred rupees.The master or person in charge is liable to a penalty not exceeding three thousand rupees.
BailBailableSame
CognizanceNon-CognizableSame
CompoundableNon-CompoundableSame
Triable ByAny MagistrateSame

IPC 137 and BNS 165: Bare Act Text Side by Side

IPC 1860 (repealed)

Section 137, IPC 1860

137. Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master.—The master or person in charge of a merchant vessel, on board of which any deserter from the Army, Navy or Air Force of the Government of India is concealed, shall, though ignorant of such concealment, be liable to a penalty not exceeding five hundred rupees, if he might have known of such concealment but for some neglect of his duty as such master or person in charge, or but for some want of discipline on board of the vessel.
BNS 2023 (in force)

Section 165, BNS 2023

The master or person in charge of a merchant vessel, on board of which any deserter from the Army, Navy or Air Force of the Government of India is concealed, shall, though ignorant of such concealment, be liable to a penalty not exceeding three thousand rupees, if he might have known of such concealment but for some neglect of his duty as such master or person in charge, or but for some want of discipline on board of the vessel.

Ingredients: IPC 137 vs BNS 165

Under IPC 137
  1. The accused was the master or person in charge of a merchant vessel
  2. A deserter from the Army, Navy or Air Force of the Government of India was concealed on board that vessel
  3. The accused was ignorant of the concealment
  4. He might have known of the concealment but for some neglect of his duty as master or person in charge, or but for some want of discipline on board of the vessel
Under BNS 165
  1. The master or person in charge of a merchant vessel
  2. A deserter from the Army, Navy or Air Force of the Government of India concealed on board that vessel
  3. The master was ignorant of the concealment
  4. He might have known of it but for neglect of his duty or want of discipline on board of the vessel
  5. A penalty not exceeding three thousand rupees

What IPC 137 to BNS 165 Means for Pending Cases

For Section 137 IPC (now Section 165 BNS): the upper limit of the penalty is now three thousand rupees, so the charge for an act done after the BNS came into force cites Section 165 BNS and carries that limit.

FAQs: IPC 137 to BNS 165

What changed when Section 137 IPC became Section 165 BNS?▼

The number and the upper limit of the penalty. Section 165 BNS repeats the title and the other words of Section 137 IPC, but the penalty rises from five hundred rupees to three thousand rupees.

What is the penalty under Section 165 BNS?▼

The master or person in charge is liable to a penalty not exceeding three thousand rupees.

Where does Section 137 IPC sit in the BNS?▼

In Section 165 BNS, in Chapter VIII, Of Offences Relating to the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Does Section 137 IPC or Section 165 BNS apply to an act done before 1 July 2024?▼

Section 137 IPC. Section 358 BNS repealed the IPC from 1 July 2024 but saves any liability already incurred under it, so an act done before that date is still dealt with under Section 137 IPC. Section 165 BNS governs acts done on or after 1 July 2024.

Disclaimer: This comparison is for informational purposes only. The new criminal laws came into effect on 1 July 2024. Consult a qualified advocate for legal advice.

Sources: Indian Penal Code, 1860 · Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Last updated: 16 Oct 2026 ·