Whoever threatens another with any injury to his person, reputation or property, or to the person or reputation of any one in whom that person is interested, with intent to cause alarm to that person, or to cause that person to do any act which he is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do any act which that person is legally entitled to do, as the means of avoiding the execution of such threat, commits criminal intimidation.
Explanations
- A threat to injure the reputation of any deceased person in whom the person threatened is interested, is within this section.
Illustrations
- A, for the purpose of inducing B to resist from prosecuting a civil suit, threatens to burn B’ house. A is guilty of criminal intimidation.
IPC Section 503: Simplified Explanation
IPC Section 503 addresses the offence of “Criminal Intimidation.” This section defines criminal intimidation as the act of threatening another person with an injury to their person, reputation, or property, or to the person or reputation of anyone in whom that person is interested, with the intent to cause alarm to that person or to cause that person to do any act which they are not legally bound to do or to omit to do any act which that person is legally entitled to do.
This section is pivotal in protecting individuals from being coerced or intimidated into acting against their will or refraining from lawful actions due to fear.
Is IPC Section 503 bailable?
IPC Section 503 is bailable. This means that an individual accused under this section has the right to be released on bail, provided they meet the conditions set by the court.
IPC Section 503 Punishment
The punishment for an offence under IPC Section 503 is imprisonment for a term that may extend to two years, a fine, or both. This penalty is designed to deter individuals from engaging in behaviour that coerces or unduly pressures others through threats.
Example of IPC Section 503
A real-life example of IPC Section 503 could involve a business owner receiving threatening messages from a competitor. The messages warn that unless the business owner stops certain operations, they will face serious harm to their reputation and financial status. The business owner, feeling threatened and alarmed, decides to file a police complaint under IPC Section 503 against the competitor for criminal intimidation, as the threats aimed to coerce them into altering their lawful business practices.
