Whoever voluntarily causes hurt, for the purpose of extorting from the sufferer, or from any person interested in the sufferer, any property or valuable security, or of constraining the sufferer or any person interested in such sufferer to do anything which is illegal or which may facilitate the commission of an offence, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
IPC Section 327: Simplified Explanation
IPC Section 327 of the Indian Penal Code deals with the offence of “voluntarily causing hurt to extort property or to constrain to an illegal act.” This section applies when an individual inflicts physical harm on another person with the intent to extort money or property or to force the victim or any other person to do something illegal or refrain from doing something they are legally entitled to do.
Key elements of this section include:
- Voluntarily Causing Hurt: The person must intentionally or knowingly cause physical pain, disease, or infirmity.
- Purpose of Extortion or Coercion: Extorting money or valuable property or compelling someone to do or not do something against their will, particularly an illegal act, causes hurt.
Is IPC Section 327 Bailable?
IPC Section 327 is a non-bailable offence. Due to the seriousness of the actions involving harm with intent to extort or coerce, the accused must appear before a court to seek bail.
IPC Section 327 Punishment
The Punishment under IPC Section 327 for voluntarily causing hurt to extort or coerce includes:
- Imprisonment for up to ten years,
- And also liable to a fine.
The severity of the Punishment reflects the gravity of combining physical harm with extortion or coercion.
Example of IPC Section 327
A real-life example of IPC Section 327 occurred when a group of individuals kidnapped a businessman and subjected him to physical torture to compel his family to pay a large ransom. The assailants beat the victim and threatened further harm if their demands were not met. After the police rescued the victim, the kidnappers were charged under IPC Section 327 for causing hurt to extort money. This case highlighted the criminal use of physical harm as a tool for extortion and the legal measures in place to address such severe offences.
