Whoever, being the father or mother of a child below 12 years of age, or having the care of such child, exposes or leaves such child in any place with the intention of wholly abandoning such child shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 7 years, or with fine, or with both.
Section history
Section 317 — Exposure and abandonment of a child below 12 years of age by parent or person having care of it
As in force on 31 December 2021.
The text below is this provision as reproduced in the Revised Edition that came into force on this date. A revised edition consolidates the law without changing its substance, so editorial amendments — such as renumbering, updated citations and formatting — may have been made but are not shown as a redline.
Explanation.—This section is not intended to prevent the trial of the offender for murder or culpable homicide as the case may be, if the child dies in consequence of the exposure.