Cyber Defamation in India

Cyberspace is a technical term used for the electronic medium of computer networks, in which online communication takes place. Cyber defamation is publishing of defamatory material against another person with the help of computers or internet. The article discusses the legal provisions that can tackle cyber defamation in the current framework and provides contact details of cyber cells in metropolitans.

Mon Aug 08 2022 | Employment, Criminal and Labour | Comments (0)

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With the invention of the internet, the life of a common man has changed a lot. The internet has provided a medium to interact with the people worldwide. It has brought the world closer to every man who has access to it. It has proved to be a repository for  the enormous information which a common man could not access easily. It has also given new dimensions to business and trade. Social networking, entertainment, shopping, job hunt, recruitment, you name anything and its possible via the medium of internet.

The widespread use of internet has also given a new face to the crime and a new medium to the bad elements to commit crime.

Cyberspace is a technical term used for the electronic medium of computer networks, in which online communication takes place. It comes alive only when two or more computers are networked together. The term has a very wide meaning and is not only restricted to the internet but also includes computers, computer networks, the internet, data, software etc. The crimes that are committed by using the computer as an instrument, or a target or a mean for perpetuating further crimes falls within the definition of cyber crime. Cyber law is the law that governs the crimes committed within the cyberspace. Cyber Defamation is also a cyber crime. 

CYBER DEFAMATION

The term defamation is used to define the injury that is caused to the reputation of a person in the eyes of a third person. The injury can be done by words - oral or written, or by signs or by visible representations. The intention of the person making the defamatory statement must be to lower the reputation of the person against whom the statement has been made in the eyes of the general public. Cyber defamation is a new concept but the traditional definition of the term defamation is applicable to cyber defamation, as it involves defamation of a person through a new and a virtual medium.

Cyber defamation is publishing of defamatory material against another person with the help of computers or internet. If someone publishes some defamatory statement about some other person on a website or sends emails containing defamatory material to other persons with the intention to defame the other person about whom the statement has been made, it would amount to cyber defamation. The harm caused to a person by publishing a defamatory statement about him on a website is widespread and irreparable as the information is available to the entire world. Cyber defamation affects the welfare of the community as a whole and not merely  the individual victim. It also has its impact on the economy of a country depending upon the information published and the victim against whom the information has been published.

The following are mediums by which offense of cyber defamation can be committed

There are two broad category of case falling under cyber defamation

STATUTORY PROVISIONS GOVERNING CYBER DEFAMATION IN INDIA

INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1860

The Indian Penal Code, 1860 contains provisions to deal with the menace of cyber defamation.

        1. Section 499 of IPC

  1. Section 469 of IPC
  1. Section 503 of IPC

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACT, 2000

The Section 66A of the Information Act, 2000 does not specifically deal with the offence of cyber defamation but it makes punishable the act of sending grossly offensive material for causing insult, injury or criminal intimidation.

Section 66A of the Information Act, 2000

Section 66A of the IT Act says that any person who sends, by means of a computer resource or a communication device:-

WHERE TO LODGE A COMPLAINT

A person aggrieved of the offence of offence of cyber defamation can make a complaint to the Cyber Crime Investigation Cell. The Cyber Crime Investigation Cell is a branch of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Cyber Crime Investigation Cells have opened up in many cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Tamil-Nadu, Gurgaon, Pune, , Lucknow, etc. The Cyber Crime investigation Cells deal with offences related to the computer, computer network, computer resource, computer systems, computer devices and Internet. It also has power to look into other high-tech crimes.

JUDICIAL RESPONSE TO OFFENCE OF CYBER DEFAMATION

In the first case of cyber defamation in India, SMC Pneumatics (India) Pvt. Ltd. v. Jogesh Kwatra, the reputation of a corporate was being defamed by an employee of the plaintiff company by sending derogatory, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, filthy and abusive emails to its employers and also to different subsidiaries of the said company all over the world with the aim to defame the company and its Managing Director.  The Hon'ble Judge of the Delhi High Court passed an ex-prate ad interim injunction observing that a prima facie case had been made out by the plaintiff.

Consequently, the Delhi High Court restrained the defendant from sending derogatory, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, humiliating and abusive emails either to the plaintiffs or to its sister subsidiaries all over the world including their Managing Directors and their Sales and Marketing departments. Further, Hon'ble Judge also restrained the defendant from publishing, transmitting or causing to be published any information in the actual world as also in cyberspace, which is derogatory or defamatory or abusive of the plaintiffs.

In another case State of Tamil Nadu v. Suhas Katti related to posting of obscene, defamatory and annoying message about a divorcee woman in the yahoo message group. E-Mails were also forwarded to the victim for information by the accused through a false e-mail account opened by him in the name of the victim. The posting of the message resulted in annoying phone calls to the lady in the belief that she was soliciting. Based on a complaint made by the victim in February 2004, the Police traced the accused to Mumbai and arrested him within the next few days. Relying on the expert witnesses and other evidence produced before it, including the witnesses of the Cyber Cafe owners, the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate held the accused guilty of offences under section 469, 509 IPC and 67 of IT Act, 2000 and the accused is convicted and is sentenced for the offence to undergo RI for 2 years under 469 IPC and to pay fine of Rs.500/-and for the offence u/s 509 IPC sentenced to undergo 1 year Simple imprisonment and to pay fine of Rs.500/- and for the offence u/s 67 of IT Act 2000 to undergo RI for 2 years and to pay fine of Rs.4000/- All sentences to run concurrently .The conviction of the accused was achieved successfully within a relatively quick time of 7 months from the filing of the FIR.

In the case of Tata Sons vs. Turtle International, the Delhi High Court has held that publication is a comprehensive term, embracing all forms and mediums including the Internet. That an internet publication has wider viewership, or a degree of permanence, and greater accessibility, than other fixed (as opposed to intangible) mediums of expression does not alter the essential part, i.e. that it is a forum or medium. There is much sense to have more defined criteria taking into account the nature of the internet content. Injunctions on internet content should not be readily granted (especially ex-parte) since, firstly the internet is an easy, self publishing platform providing a medium of expression for marginal individuals not having corporatist outlets. Secondly, the internet facilitates the distribution of content for a minor cost to a vast audience. Both the alleged injury and the free speech concern are greater due to the wider dissemination of the content.  These are only some of the concerns which set the internet apart and it is desirable to have a nuanced appreciation.

Addresses of Cyber Crime Investigation Cells in India

Bangalore

Cyber Crime Police Station,
CID Annexe Building, Carlton House,
# 1, Palace Road,
Bangalore - 560001.
Telephone: +91- 080- 22942475, +91- 080- 22943050
Email: cybercrimeps@ksp.gov.in
Website: http://www.cyberpolicebangalore.nic.in  

Chennai

SIDCO Electronics Complex,
Block No. 3, First Floor,
Guindy Industrial Estate,
Chennai -32
Ph: 044 22502526
Email: spcybercbcid.tnpol@nic.in
Website:http://cbcid.tn.nic.in

Delhi

Central Bureau of Investigation,
 Plot No. 5-B, 6th Floor, CGO Complex,
Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110003
Ph:+91-11-4362203, +91-11-4392424
Website:http://cbi.nic.in/
E-Mail: cbiccic@bol.net.in

Hyderabad

In Charge Cyber Crime Police Station,
Hyderabad City.
Email : cybercell_hyd@hyd.appolice.gov.in
Ph:04027852040
Website:http://www.hyderabadpolice.gov.in

Cyberabad

ACP   Inspector Cyber Crimes
Sub-Inspector Cyber Crimes   
IT Cell    Special Branch
Ph: 9491 039 167, 9491 039 172
9491 039 088, 040-2785 3413
Website: http://cyberabadpolice.gov.in/cybercellwebsite

Nagpur

Cyber Crime Investigation Cell,
Crime Branch, 4th Floor,
Administrative Building No. 1,
Near Udyog Bhavan,
Civil Lines, Nagpur-01.
Email:cybercell@nagpurpolice.nic.in
Tel: +91 - 7122566766
Website: http://www.nagpurpolice.info/manage_pages?id=29

Pune

Office of Commissioner of Police
2, Sadhu Vaswani Road,
Camp, Pune - 411001
Phone: +91-20-020-26126296, 26122880, 26208250
Fax: 020 26128105.
Website: www.punepolice.gov.in
E-Mail: crimecomp.pune@nic.in / punepolice@vsnl.com  

Mumbai

Cyber Crime Investigation cell,
Annex III, 1st floor, Office of the Commissioner of Police,
D.N.Road, Mumbai - 400001
Ph: +91-22- 24691233
Web site: http://www.cybercellmumbai.gov.in
E-mail id: cybercell.mumbai@mahapolice.gov.in

Haryana

Cyber Crime and Technical Investigation Cell,
Old S.P.Office complex,Civil Lines
Gurgaon
E-mail: jtcp.ggn@hry.nic.in
Website : http://gurgaon.haryanapolice.gov.in    

Rajasthan

Ph: +91-9672700012
Website: http://www.cybercellindia.com/
e-mail: cyber@cybercellindia.com

Madhya Pradesh

Inspector General of Police
State CYBER POLICE,
Bhopal (M.P.)
Ph:0755-2770248
Email: mpcyberpolice@gmail.com
Website: http://www.mpcyberpolice.nic.in

Kerala

Website: http://www.keralapolice.org/newsite/ccps.html
Helpline Numbers:
    0471-3243000
    0471-3244000
    0471-3245000

Meghalaya

Website: http://meghpol.nic.in  

Thane

3rd Floor, Office of Commissioner of Police,
Khalkar Lane, Court Naka, Thane (W)
Ph: 022-25410986
Email: police@thanepolice.org
Website: http://thanepolice.org/cybercell.php

Uttar Pradesh

Cyber Complaints Redressal Cell,
Nodal Officer Cyber Crime Unit Agra,
Agra Range 7,Kutchery Road,
Baluganj,Agra-232001
Uttar Pradesh
Ph : 0562-2463343, Fax: 0562-2261000
E-mail: info@cybercellagra.com,
digraga@up.nic.in
Website: http://www.cybercellagra.com  

West Bengal

DIG CID
IIIrd Floor ,Bhawani Bhawan
Alipore, Kolkata - 700 0027
Phone Numbers - 033 2450 6100
Fax Number - 033 2450 6174
Email :mail@cidwestbengal.gov.in
Website: http://cidwestbengal.gov.in

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