Whoever buys, hires or otherwise obtains possession of any person below 21 years of age with intent that such person 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 person will at any age be employed or used for any such purpose, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Section history
Section 373 — Buying minor for purposes of prostitution, etc.
As in force on 31 December 2021.
Timeline 3 versions
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.—Any prostitute, or any person keeping or managing a brothel, who buys, hires or otherwise obtains possession of a female below 21 years of age 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.