Criminal LawSection 70, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

BNS Section 70

What punishment does a group face for raping an adult woman or a girl under 18?

Short answer

A group that rapes an adult woman gets at least 20 years, up to life imprisonment, and a fine for the victim’s care; if the victim is under 18, the penalty is life or death plus a fine.

In detail

If a woman is raped by two or more people acting together, each person is treated as having committed rape. For an adult woman, the law requires a minimum of twenty years of rigorous imprisonment, and the court may extend the sentence to life, meaning the rest of the person’s natural life. In addition, the court must impose a fine that is fair and reasonable to cover the victim’s medical expenses and rehabilitation, and this fine must be paid directly to the victim. When the victim is a girl younger than eighteen, the punishment becomes harsher: each offender can be sentenced to life imprisonment or, in some cases, the death penalty, along with a similar fine for the victim’s care. The fine in both situations is intended to support the victim’s recovery and must be paid to her directly.

Reviewed by LegalX Editorial · 3 September 2026View source

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