Busting the Cheats: A Comprehensive Overview of IPC 420
Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) is a criminal offense that deals with cheating and dishonesty. The section states that anyone who cheats and thereby dishonestly induces someone to deliver any property or valuable security, or to do or to omit doing anything that they would not have done or omitted if they had not been so deceived, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term that can extend to seven years, or with a fine, or both. Over the years, there have been numerous cases of individuals and organizations being charged with offenses under Section 420 of the IPC. According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), there were a total of 14,793 cases registered under Section 420 in 2019, which was a slight decrease from the previous year's figures. Of the total cases registered under Section 420 in 2019, the majority (58.2%) were related to the cheating and fraud committed in the course of business or industry. This indicates that a significant number of ...