FIR Against Ranveer Singh: What Punishments Do These IPC Sections Entail?

The complainant alleged that Ranveer Singh had hurt the "sentiments of women" through the photoshoot.

The Mumbai Police booked actor Ranveer Singh on Tuesday, 26 July, after a complaint was filed against him for sharing pictures from a 'nude photoshoot' that he had done for Paper magazine.

In his complaint, Lalit Tekchandani, who runs the NGO called Shyam Mangaram Foundation, had told the police that India was a "land of culture" and that such pictures could influence children who have a "craze" for film stars. He also alleged that Singh had hurt the "sentiments of women" through the photoshoot.

Subsequently, Singh was booked by the Mumbai Police under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 292 (sale, etc, of obscene books), 293 (sale, etc, of obscene objects to young person) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) as well as Section 67A of the Information Technology (IT) Act.

This is what the laws entail and the punishments comprised in them if found guilty:

IPC Section 292

The section states that "a book, pamphlet, paper, writing, drawing, painting, representation, figure, or any other object shall be deemed to be obscene if it is lascivious or appeals to the prurient interest" or "if its effect, or (where it comprises two or more distinct items) the effect of any one of its items, is, if taken as a whole, such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons" who may read, hear or see it.

This section prohibits the sale, exhibition, and circulation of "obscene" material.

This section, however, does not extend to any book, pamphlet, paper, writing, drawing, painting, repre­sentation or figure,

• the publication of which is proved to be justified as being for the public good on the ground that such book, pamphlet, paper, writing, drawing, painting, representation or figure is in the interest of science, literature, art or learning or other objects of general concern, which is kept or used bona fide for religious purposes.

• any representation sculptured, engraved, painted or otherwise represented on or in any ancient monument within the meaning of the Ancient Monu­ments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958; any temple, or on any car used for the conveyance of idols, or kept or used for any religious purpose.

Punishment it entails:

Anybody found guilty under this section shall be punished on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, and with fine which may extend to Rs 2,000.

In the event of a second or subsequent conviction, the accused will be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, and also with fine which may extend to Rs 5,000.

IPC Section 293

This section particularly deals with sale, distribution, exhibition or circulation of 'obscene objects' to a person under the age of 20.

It states:

“Whoever sells, lets to hire, distributes, exhibits or circulates to any person under the age of twenty years any such obscene object… or offers or attempts so to do, shall be punished on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, and, in the event of a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and also with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees.”

Punishment it entails:

Those found guilty of the act, or even guilty of an attempt – may be punished on first conviction with imprisonment for term which may extend to three years or a fine up to Rs 2,000.

IPC Section 509

This section involves punishment for insulting the modesty of any woman, uttering any word, making any sound or gesture, or exhibiting any object, with the intention that such a word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen, by such woman, or intruding upon the privacy of such woman

Punishment it entails:

Any person found guilty under this section shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or both.

Section 67A of the IT Act

This section entails punishment for publishing or transmitting in the electronic form any material which contains a sexually explicit act or conduct.

Punishment it entails:

Any person found guilty under this section on first conviction shall be imprisoned for a term which may extend to five years and with fine which may extend to Rs 10 lakh.

In case of a second or subsequent conviction, imprisonment may extend to seven years and the fine may extend to Rs 10 lakh.