IPC Section 372 - Selling minor for purposes of prostitution, etc

372. Selling minor for purposes of prostitution, etc. Whoever sells, lets to hire, or o therwise

disposes of any 2[person under the age of eighteen years 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 of either description for a term which may extend

to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

1[Explanation I.--When a female under the age of eighteen years is sold, let for hire, or otherwise

disposed of to a prostitute or to any person who keeps or manages a brothel, the person so disposing of

such female shall, until the contrary is proved, be presumed to have disposed of her with the intent that

she shall be used for the purpose of prostitution.

Explanation II .--For the purposes of this section "illicit intercourse " means sexual intercourse

between persons not united by marriage or by any union or tie which , though not amounti ng to a

marriage, is recognised by the personal law or custom of the community to which they belong or, where

they belong to different communities, of both such communities, as constituting between them a quasi-

marital relation.]