Offences, Penalty and Jurisdiction

August 27, 2024

Offences and Penalty

Section under IT Act,2000OffencePenalty
Sec.43Damage to computer,computer system, etc.Compensation not exceeding onecrore rupees to the person soaffected 
Sec.43A

Body corporate failureto protect dataCompensation not exceeding fivecrore rupees to the person soaffected
Sec.44(a)Failure to furnishdocument, return orreport to theController or the Certifying AuthorityPenalty not exceeding one lakh andfifty thousand rupees for each suchfailure
Sec.44(b)




Failure to file any return or furnish any information, books or other documents within the time specifiedPenalty not exceeding five thousandrupees for every day during whichsuch failure continues
Sec 44(C)Failure to maintainbooks of account orrecordsPenalty not exceeding ten thousandrupees for every day during whichthe failure continues
Sec 45Where no penalty hasbeen separatelyprovidedCompensation not exceedingtwenty-five thousand rupees to theperson affected by suchcontravention or a penalty notexceeding twenty-five thousandrupees
Sec 65Tampering withComputer sourcedocumentsImprisonment up to three years, orwith fine which may extend up totwo lakh rupees, or with both
Sec 66Hacking withComputer systems,Data alteration etc.Imprisonment for a term which mayextend to three years or with finewhich may extend to five lakhrupees or with both
Sec 66ASending offensivemessages throughcommunicationservice etc.Imprisonment for a term which mayextend to three years and with fine
Sec.66B





Retains any stolencomputer resource orcommunication deviceImprisonment for a term which mayextend to three years or with finewhich may extend to rupees onelakh or with both
Sec.66CFraudulent use ofelectronic signatureImprisonment for a term which mayextend to three years and shall alsobe liable to fine which may extendto rupees one lakh
sec.66DSec.66DCheats by personatingby using computerresourceImprisonment for a term which mayextend to three years and shall alsobe liable to fine which may extendto one lakh rupees
sec.66ESec.66EPublishing obsceneimagesImprisonment which may extend tothree years or with fine notexceeding two lakh rupees, or withboth
Sec.66FCyber Terrorism Imprisonment which may extend toimprisonment for life
Sec.67Publishes or transmitsunwanted materialImprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and with finewhich may extend to five lakh rupees & in the event of a second orsubsequent conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years and also with fine which mayextend to ten lakh rupees
Sec.67APublishes or transmitssexually explicitImprisonment for a term which mayextend to five years and with fine which may extend to ten lakhrupees and in the event of second orsubsequent conviction with imprisonment of either descriptionfor a term which may extend to seven years and also with finewhich may extend to ten lakh rupees 
Sec.67BSec.67BAbusing childrenonline
Imprisonment for a term which mayextend to five years and with a finewhich may extend to ten lakhrupees and in the event of second orsubsequent conviction withimprisonment of either descriptionfor a term which may extend toseven years and also with finewhich may extend to ten lakhrupees 
Sec.67CPreservation ofinformation byintermediaryImprisonment for a term which mayextend to three years and shall alsobe liable to fine 
Sec.70Unauthorised accessto protected systemImprisonment for a term which mayextend to ten years and shall alsobe liable to fine 
Sec.71




Sec.72 
Misrepresentation tothe Controller or theCertifying Authorityfor obtaining licenceor Electronic digital signatureBreach of Confidentiality and Privacy Imprisonment for a term which mayextend to two years, or with finewhich may extend to one lakh rupees, or with both.Imprisonment for a term which mayextend to two years, or with finewhich may extend to one lakhrupees, or with both 
Sec.72ADisclosure ofinformation in breachof contractImprisonment for a term which mayextend to three years, or with a finewhich may extend to five lakhrupees, or with both
Sec.73 &74
Publishing false digitalsignature certificates
Imprisonment for a term which mayextend to two years, or with finewhich may extend to one lakhrupees, or with both 

Jurisdiction

If a crime is committed on a computer or computer network in India by a person resident outside India, then can the offence be tried by the Courts in India?

 According to Sec.1(2) of Information Technology Act, 2000, the Act extends to the whole of India and also applies to any offence or contravention committed outside India by any person. Further, Sec.75 of the IT Act, 2000 also mentions the applicability of the Act for any offence or contravention committed outside India. According to this section, the Act will apply to an offence or contravention committed outside India by any person, if the act or conduct constituting the offence or contravention involves a computer, computer system or computer network located in India.A Police officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police should only investigate any offence under this Act. (Sec.78 of IT Act, 2000). Without a duly signed extradition treaty or a multilateral cooperation arrangement, trial of such offences and conviction is a difficult proposition.

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