Whoever holds out any threat of injury to any public servant, or to any person in whom he believes that public servant to be interested, for the purpose of inducing that public servant to do any act, or to forbear or delay to do any act, connected with the exercise of the public functions of such public servant, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
IPC Section 189: Simplified Explanation
IPC Section 189 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) is titled “Threat of injury to public servant.” This section makes it an offence to threaten a public servant with injury to their person, reputation, or property, or to the person or reputation of anyone in whom that public servant is interested, with the intent to cause that public servant to do or refrain from doing any act, or to show favour or disfavour to any person. The objective of this provision is to protect public servants from being coerced or influenced through threats while performing their duties.
Is IPC Section 189 bailable?
IPC Section 189 is classified as a bailable offence. This means the accused can be released on bail after arrest, typically on their surety or through a bail bond.
IPC Section 189 Punishment
The punishment for threatening a public servant under IPC Section 189 includes imprisonment for up to two years, a fine, or both. The judge determines the specific penalty based on the severity of the threat and the impact it had on the public servant’s ability to perform their duties.
Example of IPC Section 189
A real-life example of IPC Section 189 could involve a person threatening a building inspector with harm if the inspector does not ignore certain violations in a construction project. Suppose the threat is made to influence the inspector’s official actions or to obtain an undue favour. In that case, the individual making the threat can be charged under this section.
