Indian Penal Code,1860
Act No : 45
Section :
Mischief.
425. Mischief.--Whoever with intent to cause, or knowing that heis likely to cause, wrongful loss or damage to the public or to anyperson, causes the destruction of any property, or any such change inany property or in the situation thereof as destroys or diminishes itsvalue or utility, or affects it injuriously, commits "mischief".198 Explanation 1.-It is not essential to the offence of mischiefthat the offender should intend to cause loss or damage to the ownerof the property injured or destroyed. It is sufficient if he intendsto cause, or knows that he is likely to cause, wrongful loss or damageto any person by injuring any property, whether it belongs to thatperson or not. Explanation 2.-Mischief may be committed by an act affectingproperty belonging to the person who commits the act, or to thatperson and others jointly. Illustrations (a) A voluntarily burns a valuable security belonging to Zintending to cause wrongful loss to Z. A has committed mischief. (b) A introduces water in to an ice-house belonging to Z and thuscauses the ice to melt, intending wrongful loss to Z. A has committedmischief. (c) A voluntarily throws into a river a ring belonging to Z, withthe intention of there by causing wrongful loss to Z. A has committedmischief. (d) A, knowing that his effects are about to be taken inexecution in order to satisfy a debt due from him to Z, destroys thoseeffects, with the intention of thereby preventing Z from obtainingsatisfaction of the debt, and of thus causing damage to Z. A hascommitted mischief. (e) A having insured a ship, voluntarily causes the same to becast away, with the intention of causing damage to the underwriters.A has committed mischief. (f) A causes a ship to be cast away, intending thereby to causedamage to Z who has lent money on bottomry on the ship. A hascommitted mischief. (g) A, having joint property with Z in a horse, shoots the horse,intending thereby to cause wrongful loss to Z. A has committedmischief. (h) A causes cattle to enter upon a field belonging to Z,intending to cause and knowing that he is likely to cause damage toZ's crop. A has committed mischief.
