IPC § 373 · Indian Penal Code, 1860 · Repealed on 1 July 2024
Section 373 IPC — Buying minor for purposes of prostitution, etc
Replaced from 1 July 2024 by BNS 99 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Offences committed on or before 30 June 2024 are still charged under the IPC.
The law now: BNS 99 — Buying child for purposes of prostitution, etc
Whoever buys, hires or otherwise obtains possession of any child with intent that such child shall at any age be employed or used for the purpose of prostitution or illicit intercourse with any person or for any unlawful and immoral purpose, or knowing it to be likely that such child will at any age be employed or used for any such purpose, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than seven years but which may extend to fourteen years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Explanation 1.—Any prostitute or any person keeping or managing a brothel, who buys, hires or otherwise obtains possession of a female under the age of eighteen years shall, until the contrary is proved, be presumed to have obtained possession of such female with the intent that she shall be used for the purpose of prostitution.
Explanation 2.— “Illicit intercourse” has the same meaning as in section 98.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in). The Gazette of India is the authoritative text. BNS 99 in full