The Principal of a convent school, Agartala, Sister Mary Fernandez, filed a case against two persons named, Ali Kehtan and John Augustine alleging that they had made defamatory remarks in the complaint which they had sub

CS Executive · Jurisprudence, Interpretation and General Laws · PYQS · December 2023
The Principal of a convent school, Agartala, Sister Mary Fernandez, filed a case against two persons named, Ali Kehtan and John Augustine alleging that they had made defamatory remarks in the complaint which they had submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, Agartala. The accused stated in the complaint "that the building of the aforesaid school is quite unsafe and it may bring about any disaster upon the students of this school at any time; that it as a money minting institution; that the indiscipline among the students is to an unlimited extent and this has created a great problem for the nearby residents. That it appears that this school has become a meeting place for the both sexes and the principal, Sister Mary Fernandez is turning a deaf ear towards the character of the students; that if these are not checked in time, they may become a great problem for the city". In an enquiry before the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM), the allegations of the accused were found to be false and their complaint was dismissed. Consequently, Sister Mary Fernandez approaches police station to file criminal defamation case against the accused persons. Police registers a case of defamation, a bailable offence against Ali Kehtan and John Augustine, who later files an application in Court asking for anticipatory bail. Sister Mary Fernandez also files civil suits seeking compensation for defamation. In the reference of above facts answer the following questions : What is criminal defamation in Indian law ?

Answer & Explanation:

According to Section 499 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 whoever, by words either spoken or intended to be read, or by signs or by visible representations, makes or publishes any imputation concerning any person intending to harm, or knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm, the reputation of such person, is said, except in the cases hereinafter excepted, to defame that person. Explanation 1: It may amount to defamation to impute anything to a deceased person, if the imputation would harm the reputation of that person if living, and is intended to be hurtful to the feelings of his family or other near relatives. Explanation 2: It may amount to defamation to make an imputation concerning a company or an association or collection of persons as such. Explanation 3: An imputation in the form of an alternative or expressed ironically, may amount to defamation. Explanation 4: No imputation is said to harm a person's reputation, unless that imputation directly or indirectly, in the estimation of others, lowers the moral or intellectual character of that person, or lowers the character of that person in respect of his caste or of his calling, or lowers the credit of that person, or causes it to be believed that the body of that person is in a loathsome state, or in a state generally considered as disgraceful.

Topics: Criminal Law

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