Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013

[Act No. 13 of 2013]

[2nd April, 2013]

Preamble

An Act further to amend the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

Be it enacted by Parliament in the Sixty-fourth Year of the Republic of India as follows:--

Chapter I - Preliminary

Section 1 - Short title and commencement

(1) This Act may be called the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013.

(2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 3rd day of February, 2013.

Chapter II - Amendments to the Indian Penal Code

Section 2 - Amendment of section 100

In the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) (hereafter in this Chapter referred to as the Penal Code), in section 100, after clause Sixthly, the following clause shall be inserted, namely:--

"Seventhly.--An act of throwing or administering acid or an attempt to throw or administer acid which may reasonably cause the apprehension that grievous hurt will otherwise be the consequence of such act.".

Section 3 - Insertion of new sections 166A and 166B

After section 166 of the Penal Code, the following sections shall be inserted, namely:--

"166A. Public servant disobeying direction under law.--Whoever, being a public servant,--

(a) knowingly disobeys any direction of the law which prohibits him from requiring the attendance at any place of any person for the purpose of investigation into an offence or any other matter, or

(b) knowingly disobeys, to the prejudice of any person, any other direction of the law regulating the manner in which he shall conduct such investigation, or

(c) fails to record any information given to him under sub-section (1) of section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), in relation to cognizable offence punishable under section 326A, section 326B, section 354, section 354B, section 370, section 370A, section 376, section 376A, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D, section 376E or section 509,

shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to two years, and shall also be liable to fine.

166B. Punishment for non-treatment of victim.--Whoever, being in charge of a hospital, public or private, whether run by the Central Government, the State Government, local bodies or any other person, contravenes the provisions of section 357C of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine or with both.".

Section 4 - Amendment of section 228A

In section 228 A of the Penal Code, in sub-section (1), for the words, figures and letters "offence under section 376, section 376A, section 376B, section 376C or section 376D", the words, figures and letters "offence under section 376, section 376A, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D or section 376E" shall be substituted.

Section 5 - Insertion of new sections 326A and 326B

After section 326 of the Penal Code, the following sections shall be inserted, namely:--

'326A. Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid, etc.--Whoever causes permanent or partial damage or deformity to, or burns or maims or disfigures or disables, any part or parts of the body of a person or causes grievous hurt by throwing acid on or by administering acid to that person, or by using any other means with the intention of causing or with the knowledge that he is likely to cause such injury or hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may extend to imprisonment for life, and with fine:

Provided that such fine shall be just and reasonable to meet the medical expenses of the treatment of the victim;

Provided further that any fine imposed under this section shall be paid to the victim.

326B. Voluntarily throwing or attempting to throw acid.--Whoever throws or attempts to throw acid on any person or attempts to administer acid to any person, or attempts to use any other means, with the intention of causing permanent or partial damage or deformity or burns or maiming or disfigurement or disability or grievous hurt to that person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than five years but which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Explanation 1.--For the purposes of section 326A and this section, "acid" includes any substance which has acidic or corrosive character or burning nature, that is capable of causing bodily injury leading to scars or disfigurement or temporary or permanent disability.

Explanation 2.-- For the purposes of section 326A and this section, permanent or partial damage or deformity shall not be required to be irreversible.'.

Section 6 - Amendment of section 354

In section 354 of the Penal Code, for the words "shall be punished with imprisonment of cither description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both", the words "shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than one year but which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to fine" shall be substituted.

Section 7 - Insertion of new sections 354A, 354B, 354C and 354D

After section 354 of the Penal Code, the following sections shall be inserted, namely:--

'354A. Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment.--

(1) Aman committing any of the following acts--

(i) physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures; or

(ii) a demand or request for sexual favours; or

(iii) showing pornography against the will of a woman; or

(iv) making sexually coloured remarks, shall be guilty of the offence of sexual harassment.

(2) Any man who commits the offence specified in clause (i) or clause (ii) or clause (iii) of sub-section (1) shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.

(3) Any man who commits the offence specified in clause (iv) of sub-section (1) shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

354B. Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe.--Any man who assaults or uses criminal force to any woman or abets such act with the intention of disrobing or compelling her to be naked, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than three years but which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

354C. Voyeurism.--Any man who watches, or captures the image of a woman engaging in a private act in circumstances where she would usually have the expectation of not being observed either by the perpetrator or by any other person at the behest of the perpetrator or disseminates such image shall be punished on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than one year, but which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine, and be punished on a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than three years, but which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Explanation 1.--For the purpose of this section, "private act" includes an act of watching carried out in a place which, in the circumstances, would reasonably be expected to provide privacy and where the victim's genitals, posterior or breasts are exposed or covered only in underwear; or the victim is using a lavatory; or the victim is doing a sexual act that is not of a kind ordinarily done in public.

Explanation 2. -- Where the victim consents to the capture of the images or any act, but not to their dissemination to third persons and where such image or act is disseminated, such dissemination shall be considered an offence under this section.

354D. Stalking.--

(1) Any man who--

(i) follows a woman and contacts, or attempts to contact such woman to foster personal interaction repeatedly despite a clear indication of disinterest by such woman; or

(ii) monitors the use by a woman of the internet, email or any other form of electronic communication,

commits the offence of stalking:

Provided that such conduct shall not amount to stalking if the man who pursued it proves that--

(i) it was pursued for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime and the man accused of stalking had been entrusted with the responsibility of prevention and detection of crime by the State; or

(ii) it was pursued under any law or to comply with any condition or requirement imposed by any person under any law; or

(iii) in the particular circumstances such conduct was reasonable and justified.

(2) Whoever commits the offence of stalking shall be punished on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine; and be punished on a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to fine.'.

Section 8 - Substitution of new sections 370 and 370A for section 370

For section 370 of the Penal Code, the following sections shall be substituted, namely:--

'370. Trafficking of person.--

(1) Whoever, for the purpose of exploitation, (a) recruits, (b) transports, (c) harbours, (d) transfers, or (e) receives, a person or persons, by--

First.-- using threats, or

Secondly.-- using force, or any other form of coercion, or

Thirdly.-- by abduction, or

Fourthly.-- by practising fraud, or deception, or

Fifthly-- by abuse of power, or

Sixthly.-- by inducement, including the giving or receiving of payments or benefits, in order to achieve...

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