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Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023
Section 253 :
Harbouring offender who has escaped from custody or whose apprehension has been ordered :
(See section 216 of IPC 1860)
Section : 253 (a)
Classification of Offence:
Offence : Harbouring an offender who has escaped from custody, or whose apprehension has been ordered, if the offence be capital.
Punishment : Imprisonment for 7 years and fine.
Cognizable or Non-cognizable : Cognizable
Bailable or Non-bailable : Bailable
Compoundable or Non-compoundable : Non-compoundable
By Which Court Triable : Magistrate of the first class.
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Section : 253 (b)
Classification of Offence:
Offence : If punishable with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment for 10 years.
Punishment : Imprisonment for 3 years, with or without fine.
Cognizable or Non-cognizable : Cognizable
Bailable or Non-bailable : Bailable
Compoundable or Non-compoundable : Non-compoundable
By Which Court Triable : Magistrate of the first class.
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Section : 253 (c)
Classification of Offence:
Offence : If punishable with imprisonment for 1 year and not for 10 years.
Punishment : Imprisonment for one-fourth of the longest term provided for the offence, or fine, or both.
Cognizable or Non-cognizable : Cognizable
Bailable or Non-bailable : Bailable
Compoundable or Non-compoundable : Non-compoundable
By Which Court Triable : Magistrate of the first class.
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Whenever any person convicted of or charged with an offence, being in lawful custody for that offence, escapes from such custody, or whenever a public servant, in the exercise of the lawful powers of such public servant, orders a certain person to be apprehended for an offence, whoever, knowing of such escape or order for apprehension, harbours or conceals that person with the intention of preventing him from being apprehended, shall be punished in the manner following, namely:––
(a) if the offence for which the person was in custody or is ordered to be apprehended is punishable with death, he shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine;
(b) if the offence is punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment for ten years, he shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, with or without fine;
(c) if the offence is punishable with imprisonment which may extend to one year and not to ten years, he shall be punished with imprisonment of the description provided for the offence for a term which may extend to one-fourth part of the longest term of the imprisonment provided for such offence, or with fine, or with both.
Explanation :
“Offence” in this section includes also any act or omission of which a person is alleged to have been guilty out of India, which, if he had been guilty of it in India, would have been punishable as an offence, and for which he is, under any law relating to extradition, or otherwise, liable to be apprehended or detained in custody in India, and every such act or omission shall, for the purposes of this section, be deemed to be punishable as if the accused person had been guilty of it in India. Offence” in this section includes also any act or omission of which a person is alleged to have been guilty out of India, which, if he had been guilty of it in India, would have been punishable as an offence, and for which he is, under any law relating to extradition, or otherwise, liable to be apprehended or detained in custody in India, and every such act or omission shall, for the purposes of this section, be deemed to be punishable as if the accused person had been guilty of it in India.
Exception :
The provisions of this section do not extend to the case in which the harbour or concealment is by the spouse of the person to be apprehended.

Indian Penal Code 1860 (IPC 1860)
Section 216 :
Harbouring offender who has escaped from custody or whose apprehension has been ordered:
(See section 253 of BNS 2023)
Classification of Offence:
Offence: Harbouring an offender who has escaped from custody, or whose apprehension has been ordered, if the offence be capital.
Punishment :Imprisonment for 7 years and fine.
Cognizable or Non-cognizable :Cognizable
Bailable or Non-bailable :Bailable.
Compoundable or Non-compoundable : Non-compoundable
By Which Court Triable :Magistrate of the first class.
————
Offence: If punishable with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment for 10 years.
Punishment :Imprisonment for 3 years, With or without fine
Cognizable or Non-cognizable :Cognizable
Bailable or Non-bailable :Bailable.
Compoundable or Non-compoundable : Non-compoundable
By Which Court Triable :Magistrate of the first class.
————
Offence: If punishable with imprisonment for 1 year and not for 10 years.
Punishment :Imprisonment for a quarter of the longest term provided for the offence, or fine or both.
Cognizable or Non-cognizable :Cognizable
Bailable or Non-bailable :Bailable.
Compoundable or Non-compoundable : Non-compoundable
By Which Court Triable :Magistrate of the first class.
————
Whenever any person convicted of or charged with an offence, being in lawful custody for that offence, escapes from such custody, or whenever a public servant, in the exercise of the lawful powers of such public servant, orders a certain person to be apprehended for an offence, whoever, knowing of such escape or order for apprehension, harbours or conceals that person with the intention of preventing him from being apprehended, shall be punished in the manner following, that is to say,
If a capital offence. – If the offence for which the person was in custody or is ordered to be apprehended is punishable with death, he shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine;
If punishable with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment. – If the offence is punishable with 1.[imprisonment for life], or imprisonment for ten years, he shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, with or without fine;
and if the offence is punishable with imprisonment which may extend to one year and not to ten years, he shall be punished with imprisonment of the description provided for the offence for a term which may extend to one-fourth part of the longest term of the imprisonment provided for such offence, or with fine, or with both.
2.[Offence in this section includes also any act or omission of which a person is alleged to have been guilty out of 3.[India] which, if he had been guilty of it in 2.[India], would have been punishable as an offence, and for which he is, under any law relating to extradition, 4.[***] or otherwise, liable to be apprehended or detained in custody in 2.[India]; and every such act or omission shall, for the purposes of this section, be deemed to be punishable as if the accused person had been guilty of it in 2.[India].]
Exception :
This provision does not extend to the case in which the harbour or concealment is by the husband or wife ofthe person to be apprehended.
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1. Subs. by Act 26 of 1955, s. 117 and the Sch., for “transportation for life” (w.e.f. 1-1-1956).
2. Ins. by Act 10 of 1886, s. 23.
3. The words “British India” have successively been subs. by the A. O. 1948, the A. O. 1950 and Act 3 of 1951, s. 3 and the Sch., to read as above.
4. The words “or under the Fugitive Offenders Act, 1881”, omitted by Act 3 of 1951, s. 3 and the Sch.