Indian Penal Code, 1860 · Chapter VII: Of Offences Relating to the Army, Navyand Air Force
Section 136: Harbouring deserter
The Indian Penal Code, 1860 was repealed and replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 from 1 July 2024. It still applies to offences and proceedings from before that date.
Whoever, except as hereinafter excepted, knowing or having reason to believe that an officer, soldier, [sailor or airman], in the Army, [Navy or Air Force] of the [Government of India], has deserted, harbours such officer, soldier, [sailor or airman], shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine or with both.
Exception.—This provision does not extend to the case in which the harbour is given by a wife to her husband.
Corresponding sections were matched by comparing the wording of both official texts, and for the IPC and BNS, also against a published correspondence table. Wording, punishments and structure often changed, so read both sections before relying on the match.
Source: India Code (Legislative Department), the text of the Act as it stood before its repeal. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 136
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.