Whoever, in a state of intoxication, appears in any public place, or in any place, or in any place which it is a trespass in him to enter, and there conducts himself in such a manner as to cause annoyance to any person, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to twenty-four hours, or with fine which may extend to ten rupees, or with both.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE

Punishment—Simple imprisonment for 24 hours, or fine of 10 rupees, or both—Non-cognizable—Bailable—Triable by any Magis­trate—Non-compoundable.

Whoever, intending to insult the modesty of any woman, utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object, intending that such word or sound shall be heard, of that such gesture or object shall be seen, by such woman, or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, 1[shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, and also with fine.]

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE

Punishment—Simple imprisonment for 1 year, or fine, or both—Cognizable—Bailable—Triable by any Magistrate—Compoundable by the woman whom it was intended to insult or whose privacy was intruded upon with the permission of the court.

——————————————————-

1. Inserted by Section 509 of ‘The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013’

Whoever voluntarily causes or attempts to cause any person to do anything which that person is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do anything which he is legally entitled to do, by inducing or attempting to induce that person to believe that he or any person in whom he is interested will become or will be rendered by some act of the offender an object of Divine displeasure if he does not do the thing which it is the object of the offender to cause him to do, or if he does the thing which it is the object of the offender to cause him to omit, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a tem which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

Illustrations

(a) A sits dharna at Z’s door with the intention of causing it to be believed that, by so sitting, he renders Z an object of Divine displeasure. A has committed the offence defined in this section.

(b) A threatens Z that, unless Z performs a certain act, A will kill one of A’s own children, under such circumstances that the killing would be believed to render Z an object of Divine displeasure. A has committed the offence defined in this section.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE

Punishment—Imprisonment for 1 year, or fine, or both—Non-cogniza­ble—Bailable—Triable by any Magistrate—Compoundable by the person against whom the offence was committed.

Whoever commits the offence of criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication, or having taken precaution to conceal the name or abode of the person from whom the threat comes, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, in addition to the punishment provided for the offence by the last preceding section.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE

Punishment—Imprisonment for 2 years, in addition to the punish­ment under above section—Non-cognizable—Bailable—Triable by Magistrate of the first class—Non-compoundable.

Whoever commits, the offence of criminal intimidation shall be punished with imprison­ment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both;

If threat be to cause death or grievous hurt, etc.—And if the threat be to cause death or grievous hurt, or to cause the destruction of any property by fire, or to cause an offence punishable with death or 1[imprisonment for life], or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years, or to impute, unchastity to a woman, shall be punished with imprison­ment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with both.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCE

Para I

Punishment—Imprisonment for 2 years, or fine, or both—Non-cognizable-Bailable—Triable by any Magistrate—Compoundable by the person intimidated.

Para II

Punishment—Imprisonment for 7 years, or fine, or both—Non-cognizable—Bailable—Triable by Magistrate of the first class—Non-compoundable.

State Amendment

Uttar Pradesh

Imprisonment of 7 years, or fine or both—Cognizable—Non-bailable—Triable by Magistrate of the first class—Non-compoundable.

Vide Notification No. 777/VIII 9-4(2)—87, dated 31st July, 1989, published in U.P. Gazette, Extra., Pt. A, Sec. (kha), dated 2nd August, 1989.

comments

Threat to reputation

Where criminal intimidation was committed by threatening X and his daughter with injury to their reputation by having the indecent photographs published; the intent mentioned was to cause alarm to X and his daughter, hence the appellant was clearly guilty of the criminal intimidation and it was held that the conviction of the appellant under section 506 is correct; Romesh Chandra v. State, AIR 1960 SC 154.

————————–

1. Subs. by Act 26 of 1955, sec. 117 and Sch., for “transporta­tion for life” (w.e.f. 1-1-1956).