People in India often think that there can’t be any legal action taken against someone who’s verbally abusing another person, especially in public places. But that’s where they are completely wrong, you can actually take legal action against the person who has verbally abused you in public. Let’s have a look at some laws that give you that power.
What Are Some Specific Laws Against Verbal Abuse In India?
In India, verbal abuse is a term used to describe abusive conduct towards another person through speech, and it can involve acts like insulting, provocative speech, and others. And sure, it can be classified as an offense if it is done in a public place or in a way that reasonably threatens violence. There are different provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that are utilized to deal with verbal abuse, so let’s talk about just that, shall we?
Section 504 IPC: Addressing Intentional Insults
To begin with, Section 504 of the IPC is the one that targets the issues where one person intentionally insults another person which can lead to physical violence or public unrest. For example, the curse words that were uttered to provoke a physical fight are also regarded in this section. The court must consider that the person in question had the intention to insult and he must have also expected the words to produce a riotous outcome. And for this, the maximum punishment is two years of imprisonment, a fine, or both.
Section 294 IPC: Obscene Acts and Songs
Section 294 of the IPC prohibits the use of obscene words or actions in public areas and is meant to keep people from using vulgar language in public places, with the usual penalties being a fine. So yes, there is no jail time here for doing such a thing in public, but in our opinion, a fine is more than enough to teach a lesson.
Section 294 IPC: Obscene Acts and Songs
Section 506 also deals with the different forms of verbal abuse that include threats of physical harm or death. This section of the IPC comes into play whenever any person is threatened with an act of harm against them, their property, or their good name, you know? And sure, a serious threat like a death threat can lead to imprisonment for a period of up to seven years which is a clear indication of how strict these laws can be against verbal abuse in India.
Legal Procedures for Addressing Verbal Abuse Right Here In India
The first step for the victim of verbal abuse is to file the FIR at the closest police station. And as per Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the police must register it and start an investigation, even if it is just verbal abuse. Then, the police must start an investigation into the incident, and yes, you can very well take this matter to court. The legal procedure that follows involves the presentation of evidence and arguments from both sides, to finally judge who’s in the wrong and punish them according to the law.
