Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine displeasure

What this section does

This section targets coercion achieved through religious or supernatural threats—specifically, inducing a person to act or omit to act by making them believe they or someone they care about will incur Divine displeasure if they do not comply. Sitting dharna to create such a belief is expressly illustrated as an offence.

AI-generated plain-language summary. For the binding statutory text, see India Code (official).

Quick reference

Punishment

Imprisonment of either description up to 1 year, or fine, or both.

Triable by

Any Magistrate

Cognizable

No

Bailable

Yes

Compoundable

No

Ingredients (what prosecution must prove)

1. The accused voluntarily caused or attempted to cause another person to do something not legally required, or to omit something legally permitted
2. The means used was inducing or attempting to induce the belief that the victim or a person in whom the victim is interested would become an object of Divine displeasure
3. The Divine displeasure was attributed to some act of the offender

Derived from IPC s.508.