Defemation

Defamation can take the form of spoken or written words, as well as signs or visual representations.

Defamation occurs when someone makes or publishes a false claim about another person, knowing
or having cause to believe that the accusation will hurt that person's reputation.

Defamation is regulated by both the criminal and civil laws in India.

While the criminal law is well defined in the IPC(1860), the civil law is not as well codified and is
inherited from English common law, as indicated in the CPC (1908).

Except in the cases hereinafter excluded, whoever makes or publishes any imputation concerning
any person by words spoken or intended to be read, or by signs or visible representations, intending
to harm, or knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm, the reputation of
that person is said to defame that person.

Anyone who defames another person is subject to simple imprisonment for a duration of up to two
years, a fine, or both under section 500.

Under section 501, anybody who prints or engraves any content knowing or having reasonable
grounds to believe that such matter is defamatory of any person is subject to simple imprisonment
for a time up to two years, a fine, or both.

Example

Sunny Deol has launched a Rs. 200 crore defamation complaint against Big FM, claiming that their
spoof programme is slandering his and his family's name. Big FM has been airing a satirical
programme called Yeh Sa sani nahi, yeh Son Sunny Hai for months. Sunny Deol is imitated by a man,
and Dharmendra is represented by a drunken.