Legal World

Section 16 POCSO Act — Abetment of an offence

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 · Official PDF page 11

Open in NyayaOfficial PDF, page 11

16. Abetment of an offence.—A person abets an offence, who— First.—Instigates any person to do that offence; or Secondly.— Engages with one or more other person or persons in any conspiracy for the doing of that offence, if an act or illegal omission takes place in pursuance of that conspiracy, and in order to the doing of that offence; or Thirdly.—Intentionally aids, by any act or illegal omission, the doing of that offence.

Explanation I.—A person who, by wilful misrepresentation, or by wilful concealment of a material fact, which he is bound to disclose, voluntarily causes or procures, or attempts to cause or procure a thing to be done, is said to instigate the doing of that offence.

Explanation II.—Whoever, either prior to or at the time of commission of an act, does anything in order to facilitate the commission of that act, and thereby facilitates the commission thereof, is said to aid the doing of that act.

Explanation III.—Whoever employ, harbours, receives or transports a child, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or of a position, vulnerability or the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of any offence under this Act, is said to aid the doing of that act.

Text extracted from the official PDF (India Code source edition; cover states: 1st July, 2026). Line breaks and footnote marks may differ; the PDF is the authority.

For research. Check the official gazette and later amendments before citing a section.