BACK TO SECTIONSAIR 1960 SC 154
BailableCognizable: Non-CognizableAny Magistrate
THE STATUTE
Original Text
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'.
Simplified
Section 503 defines criminal intimidation — using threats of injury (to person, reputation, or property) to cause alarm or coerce a person's behaviour. The threat need not be of physical violence — threats to reputation (blackmail), threats to family, or threats to property all qualify. Two intents trigger the offence: causing alarm, OR coercing the victim to do/not do something. The threat must be communicated — a private threat never reaching the victim is not this offence. Section 503 is always charged alongside Section 506 (which provides the punishment) and is read as '503/506 IPC'.
Legal Evolution
Section 503's definition of criminal intimidation — threatening a person to cause fear of injury to person, property, or reputation — was drawn from English law on threats and blackmail. The IPC drafters created a broad definition covering threats against the victim, their family, and their property. Courts have applied it to protection rackets, cyberbullying, and threats in domestic violence contexts, with the 2008 IT Act amendments specifically addressing electronic threats.
Landmark Precedents
Romesh Chandra Arora v. State (1960)
RELEVANCE
Criminal intimidation requires the threat to be communicated with intent to cause alarm — a general angry outburst without specific coercive intent may not constitute Section 503.
Practical Scenarios
"Threatening to burn someone's shop unless they withdraw a police complaint — criminal intimidation."
"Threatening to leak private photos unless paid — criminal intimidation."
Common Queries
A threat becomes criminal intimidation when made with specific intent to cause alarm or to force the victim to act (or refrain from acting) against their will.