Blackmailing

Greetings!

Thank you for your question.

Blackmailing is not exclusively mentioned under the IPC.

However, is defined as an act where on person puts another at risk of harm if he does not do the act as directed. Such act can be either physical or mental or in terms of money.

Blackmail can be drawn out of the act of criminal intimidation, which is defined under Section 503 of IPC.

Section 503 provides that whoever threatens another with any injury to his person, reputation or property, or to the person or reputation of any one in whom that person is interested, with intent to cause that person to do any act which he is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do any act which that person is legally entitled to do, as the means of avoiding the execution of such threat, commits criminal intimidation.

If money is being asked during blackmailing, then it becomes extortion.

Under Section 383 of IPC, it is provided that whoever intentionally puts any person in fear of any injury to that person, or to any other, and to dishonestly induce the person so put in fear to deliver to any person any property or valuable security, or anything signed or sealed which may be converted into a valuable security, commits extortion.

Regards,

Karishma Yadav