Whoever voluntarily causes grievous hurt for the purpose of extorting from the sufferer or from any person interested in the sufferer any confession or any information which may lead to the detection of an offence or misconduct, or for the purpose of constraining the sufferer or any person interested in the sufferer to restore or to cause the restoration of any property or valuable security, or to satisfy any claim or demand or to give information which may lead to the restoration of any property or valuable security 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 331: Simplified Explanation
IPC Section 331 of the Indian Penal Code deals with the offence of “voluntarily causing grievous hurt to extort confession, or to compel restoration of property.” This section is invoked when an individual intentionally causes grievous hurt to another person to extort a confession, obtain information, or force the victim to restore property. This section is a more severe counterpart to IPC Section 330, focusing on instances where the inflicted harm is classified as grievous under IPC Section 320.
Key elements of this section include:
- Voluntarily Causing Grievous Hurt: The person must intentionally or knowingly inflict severe physical harm that falls under the definition of grievous hurt.
- Purpose of Extortion or Coercion: The grievous hurt is caused by extorting a confession or information or compel the restoration of property or any valuable security.
Is IPC Section 331 Bailable?
IPC Section 331 is a non-bailable offence. Given the severity of the injuries and the coercive intent behind them, the accused must appear before a court to seek bail.
IPC Section 331 Punishment
The Punishment under IPC Section 331 for voluntarily causing grievous hurt to extort a confession or compel the restoration of property includes:
- Imprisonment for a term that may extend to ten years,
- And also liable to a fine.
The Punishment reflects the serious nature of the offence, considering both the grievous harm caused and the coercive purpose.
Example of IPC Section 331
A real-life example of IPC Section 331 involved a case where a criminal gang kidnapped a wealthy businessman and inflicted severe physical injuries, including fractures and deep cuts, to force him to reveal the location of his hidden assets and sign over property documents. The grievous hurt inflicted on the businessman was aimed at extorting valuable property. After the businessman was rescued, the gang members were charged under IPC Section 331 for causing grievous hurt to extort property. This case illustrated the stringent legal measures against the use of severe physical violence for extortion and coercion.
