(1) No one shall commit or cause the disappearance of any person.
(2) For the purpose of sub-section (1), "disappearance of a person" shall mean the following:-
(a) A person authorized to arrest, investigate or enforce the law according to the law or a person arrested, detained or detained by the security personnel in any other way without appearing before the officer who looks into the case, except the date of arrest or detention within twenty-four hours from the date of such arrest or detention, or to meet the interested parties Without giving information about where, how and in what condition he is kept,
(b) In the name of any person, organization or organized or unorganized group, abducting, seizing or taking control of a person or depriving him of his personal freedom in any other way, not giving information to the concerned about the reason for such deprivation and where, how and under what conditions he is kept.
(3) A person who orders a person to be arrested, detained or taken into custody and disappeared by the order of a person and who executes such an order shall be deemed to be the main culprit of disappearance.
(4) If the act of disappearance of a person has been done according to the order or instruction of a person holding a public office or an organization or a person responsible for an organized or unorganized group, the person who gave such order or instruction shall be considered the main culprit of the disappearance.
(5) If someone knowing that an official, agency or group under him is about to commit or cause the disappearance of a person, neglects it or does not take necessary measures to prevent such action, he shall also be deemed to have committed an offense under this section.
(6) If a person is disappeared collectively by more than one person, each person involved in such act shall be considered equally guilty.
(7) A person who commits an offense under sub-section (1) shall be punished as follows:-
(a) the period and circumstances of the disappearance of the missing person;A principal offender who commits such acts with consideration shall be imprisoned for up to fifteen years and fined up to five lakh rupees,
(b) The person who acts as an accomplice or conspirer in the disappearance of a person shall be sentenced to the same punishment as the principal offender of the disappearance of the person, and the person who engages in or organizes the same shall be sentenced to half of the punishment imposed on the principal offender.
(8) Whoever commits an offense against women or children under sub-section (1) shall be sentenced to imprisonment for two years in addition to the punishment under sub-section (7).
(9) If a person commits any other offense punishable by law against the disappeared person in the case of disappearance of a person, he shall be punished in addition to the punishment according to law for such offense in accordance with this section.
(1o) A person who causes the disappearance of a person by using government instruments, buildings, arms or goods shall be imprisoned for one year more than the punishment provided in this section.