PENAL PROSECUTION DURING CORONA TIMES
With a section of the General Public not in a mood to stay indoors and support the governmental initiatives for controlling the deadly Corona virus, the various state and Central governments are resorting to penal provisions to book the offenders. Some of the commonly resorted penal provisions are discussed below:
EPIDEMIC DISEASES ACT, 1897 Section 3 – Penalty- Any person disobeying any regulation or order made under this Act shall be deemed to have committed an offence punishable under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code 1860.
INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1860 Section 143 IPC- Punishment for being a member of an unlawful assembly-Whoever is a member of an unlawful assembly, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both.
INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1860 Section 147 IPC- Punishment for rioting- Whoever is guilty of rioting, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1860 Section 149 – Every member of unlawful assembly is guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object
INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1860 Section 188 – Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant- An offender shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.
INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1860 Section 269 – Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life- Whoever unlawfully or negligently does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both.
INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1860 Section 270 – Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life- Whoever malignantly does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1860 Section 283 – Danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation- Whoever, by doing any act, or by omitting to take order with any property in his possession or under his charge, causes danger, obstruction or injury to any person in any public way or public line of navigation, shall be punished with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees.