With new technology in place it is very easy today to morph any photograph and with super-fast

internet it has become handy to disseminate the same within a fraction of seconds. 463 of IPC is
perhaps the most appropriate provision to deal with fake photos and alteration under criminal law [5].

Chapter XVIII deals with offences related to documents and property marks. 463 of IPC deals
with forgery. In R v. Ritston [6], it was simply described as Â every instrument which
fraudulently purports to be what it is not.

464(1)(b) clearly brings out the picture that if such a document is transmitted by electronic mode
fraudulently and dishonestly it would fall under this offence. 464(2) deals with alteration or
modification of the document without lawful authority. All these points are further solidified in Daniel
Hailey Walcott v. State of Madras [7].
In the impugned scenario the accused allegedly used the photos of victims without explicit
permission or their knowledge and went to the extent of modifying them. Along with this, there was
perhaps a clear intention to belittle the reputation of the victim by modifying the photos dishonestly.
Punishment for this offence is stipulated in 465.