Whoever in order to the committing of extortion, puts or attempts to put any person in fear of death or of grievous hurt to that person or to any other, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
IPC Section 387: Simplified Explanation
IPC Section 387 deals with the offence where an individual puts another person in fear of death or grievous hurt to commit extortion. This section specifically addresses situations where the perpetrator uses the threat of severe consequences to coerce the victim into surrendering money, property, or valuable securities. The critical element here is the creation of a state of extreme fear through the threat of death or significant injury to facilitate extortion.
Is IPC Section 387 bailable?
IPC Section 387 is non-bailable. The use of threats of death or serious injury to commit extortion makes this a grave offence, warranting judicial oversight for any bail decisions due to the heightened risk to public safety and the well-being of the victim.
IPC Section 387 Punishment
The punishment for the offence under IPC Section 387 involves imprisonment for a term that may extend to seven years, and the offender is also liable to a fine. The sentence reflects the seriousness of using such high-level threats to manipulate or coerce individuals into compliance.
Example of IPC Section 387
A real-life example of IPC Section 387 involved a scenario where a local gang targeted a shop owner. They sent him messages and made calls threatening to harm his family unless he paid a weekly “protection” fee. The threats were explicit, with mentions of potentially lethal consequences if the shop owner failed to comply. Feeling his family’s safety was at stake, the shop owner initially paid the fee but later contacted the police. The police managed a covert operation that led to the arrest of the gang members. In court, due to the explicit use of threats of grievous harm to extort money, the gang members were convicted under IPC Section 387. They were sentenced to seven years and fined, demonstrating the legal system’s zero tolerance for coercive extortion tactics.
