Section 246: Prohibition of pickpocketing

1) No person shall commit, or cause to be committed, pickpocketing.

2) For the purposes of sub-section (1), a person who steals cash or property from the pocket of another person who is walking on foot, travelling in a vehicle or staying in a public place or from his or her accompanying purse, bag or means of any other kind, with or without notice of such other person, shall be considered to commit pickpocketing.

Provided that where a person pick-pockets a cash amount of more than ten thousand rupees or property valued at more than ten thousand rupees, the person shall be considered to commit the offence referred to in Section 241.

3) A person who commits the offence referred to in sub-section (1) shall be liable to the following sentence:

(a) A sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or a fine equal to the claimed amount or both the sentences, in the case of the commission of pickpocketing for the first time,

(b) A sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding two months or a fine equal to the claimed amount or both the sentences, for each instance from the second time onwards.