BACK TO SECTIONS
IPC 1860REPEALED

Section 501-510

Printing Defamatory Matter; Sale of Printed Defamatory Matter; Criminal Intimidation by Anonymous Communication; Causing Insult by Gesture; Statements Conducing to Public Mischief — Aggravated; Words/Sounds/Gestures Intended to Insult Modesty of a Woman; Appearing in Public Intoxicated

Replaced by: BNS BNS 354-362

BailableCognizable: Non-Cognizable (most)Any Magistrate
THE STATUTE

Original Text

Section 501: Whoever prints or engraves any matter, knowing or having good reason to believe that such matter is defamatory of any person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both. Section 507: Whoever commits the offence of criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication, or having taken precaution to conceal the name or abode of the person from whom the threat comes, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, in addition to the punishment provided for the offence by the last preceding section. Section 510: Whoever, in a state of intoxication, appears in any public place, or in any place which it is a trespass in him to enter, and there conducts himself in such a manner as to cause annoyance to any person, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to twenty-four hours, or with fine which may extend to ten rupees, or with both.

Simplified

Sections 501–510 complete the defamation, modesty, and related offences framework. Section 501 (printing defamatory matter — 2 years) targets the printer who publishes defamatory content knowing it to be defamatory — a separate liability from the author (Section 499/500). This is critical for media organisations: an editor who publishes a defamatory article knowing it to be defamatory faces Section 501 independently. Section 507 (anonymous criminal intimidation — additional 2 years on top of Section 506 punishment) specifically targets the cowardly use of anonymous threats — the additional penalty for anonymity recognises that hiding one's identity escalates the terror and impedes accountability. Section 508 (act caused by inducing person to believe he will be made an object of divine displeasure) addresses supernatural threats — using fear of divine retribution to extract property or compliance. Section 510 (public intoxication — 24 hours or ₹10 fine) is the IPC's most trivially punished offence — the ₹10 maximum has been unchanged since 1860.

Legal Evolution

Sections 501-510 constitute the IPC's comprehensive scheme on defamation, criminal intimidation, insult, and trespass to property — a cluster of offences targeting various forms of harm to reputation, dignity, and property interests short of the more serious offences treated earlier in the Code. The defamation provisions (Sections 499-500) have been the most contested, with ongoing debate about whether criminal defamation is consistent with constitutional guarantees of free speech.

Landmark Precedents

R. Rajagopal v. State of Tamil Nadu (1994)

(1994) 6 SCC 632
RELEVANCE

Discussed tension between right to privacy, free speech, and criminal defamation under Sections 499–501 — public figures have reduced expectation of privacy in their public roles.

Practical Scenarios

"A newspaper editor who publishes a false story about a public official knowing it is untrue — Section 501 (printing defamatory matter)."
"Sending threatening text messages from an unregistered SIM card — Section 507 (anonymous criminal intimidation, additional 2 years)."

Common Queries

Yes — Section 501 makes the printer/publisher liable for defamatory content they know or have good reason to believe is defamatory. This is separate from the author's liability under Section 499/500.
Yes — Section 507 adds up to 2 years imprisonment ON TOP of the Section 506 punishment for threats made anonymously or with precautions to hide the sender's identity.