CYBERCRIME
LEGISLATION IN INDIA
A PRESENTATION 
BY 
PAVAN DUGGAL,
ADVOCATE, 
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA 
PRESIDENT, CYBERLAW ASIA
CHAIRMAN, 
ASSOCHAM CYBERLAW 
COMMITTEE
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION 
IN INDIA (Contd.)
 
DR.  L.  PRAKASH
DR.  L.  PRAKASH
-
-
INDIA
INDIA
S  FIRST  LIFE 
S  FIRST  LIFE 
TIMER CYBER CRIMINAL
TIMER CYBER CRIMINAL
 FEBRUARY 7, 2008-
 'Sex doctor' gets life in
cyber-porn case
 CNN-IBN
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION 
IN INDIA (Contd.)
 IMPORTANT CASES
 ARIF AZIM CASE
 SUHAS  KATTI  CASE
 BAAZEE.COM CASE
 SANJAY  KUMAR  KEDIA CASE
 AHMEDABAD  MUTH  CHILD  BLESSING 
CASE
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.)
 NO  DEDICATED  CYBERCRIME 
LEGISLATION IN INDIA
 SOME  CYBERCRIMES  COVERED 
UNDER  THE  INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY ACT , 2000. 
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION 
IN INDIA (Contd.)
 In  India  the  Information  Technology  Act, 
2000  is  the  Mother  Legislation  that  deals 
with  issues  related  to    use  of  computers, 
computer  systems  ,  computer  networks  and 
the Internet.
Amended  by  the  Information  Technology 
(Amendment )Act, 2008.
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.)
Penalties and adjudication for various 
Penalties and adjudication for various 
offences  involving  computers, 
offences  involving  computers, 
computer  systems  and  computer 
computer  systems  and  computer 
networks. 
networks. 
Imprisonment  and  fine  for  various 
Imprisonment  and  fine  for  various 
cybercrimes defined.
cybercrimes defined.
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION 
IN INDIA (Contd.)
 Penalties  for  damage  to  computer,  computer 
system  etc.  have  been  fixed  as  damages  by  way 
of  compensation  not  exceeding  Rs. 
5,00,00,000/- to affected persons.
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION 
IN INDIA (Contd.)
Various cyber offences defined.
Various cyber offences defined.
Cyber offences to be investigated only by 
Cyber offences to be investigated only by 
a Police Officer not below the rank of the 
a Police Officer not below the rank of the 
Inspector  (now),  Deputy  Superintendent 
Inspector  (now),  Deputy  Superintendent 
of Police( earlier). 
of Police( earlier). 
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN INDIA 
(Contd.)
 Breach  of  security  done  dishonestly  or  fraudulently 
attracts consequences of civil and criminal liability. 
 If  a  person  without  the  permission  of  owner  or  any 
other  person  in  charge  of  a  computer,  computer 
system  or  computer  network,  accesses  or  secures 
access    to  such  computer,  computer  system  or 
computer  network,  the  said  acts  are  torts  and  crimes 
under the Indian cyberlaw.
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.)
Downloading,  copying  or  extracting  any  data, 
computer  database  or  information  from  such 
system  or  introducing  any  computer  virus  into 
the same or damaging, destructing or causing to 
be  damaged  or  disruption  of    the  same    or 
denying  the  access  to  any  authorized  person 
of the same.
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION 
IN INDIA (Contd.)
Providing any assistance to any person for doing 
any  of  the  acts  mentioned  above,  are  offences 
punishable  with  three  years  imprisonment  and 
INR 500,000/- fine.
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.)
 Tampering with computer source documents  Section 65
 Computer  related  offences  - Section  66-Occurs  when  there  is 
intent to cause or knowledge that one is likely to cause wrongful 
loss  or  damage  to  the  public  or  any  person  by  destroying  or 
deleting  or  altering  any  information  residing  in  a  computer 
resource  or  diminishing  its  value  or  utility  or  affecting  it 
injuriously by any means.
 Publishing of information which is obscene in electronic form -
Section 67.
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.) 
Sending  offensive  messages  through  communication 
Sending  offensive  messages  through  communication 
service.
service. 
Dishonestly  receiving  stolen  computer  resource  or 
Dishonestly  receiving  stolen  computer  resource  or 
communication device.
communication device. 
Cheating by personation by using computer source
Cheating by personation by using computer source 
I
I
dentity theft
dentity theft 
Violation of privacy
Violation of privacy
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.)
Cyber  terrorism  made  a  heinous 
Cyber  terrorism  made  a  heinous 
cybercrime 
cybercrime 
Defined in the widest possible terms 
Defined in the widest possible terms 
Punishable  with  imprisonment  which  may 
Punishable  with  imprisonment  which  may 
extend to imprisonment for life and fine.
extend to imprisonment for life and fine.
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.)
Publishing  of  information  which  is  obscene  in 
electronic form.
Publishing  or  transmitting  or  causing  to  be 
published  in  the  electronic  form,  any  material 
which  is  lascivious  or  appeals  to  the  prurient 
interest or if its effect is such as to tend to deprave 
and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard 
to  all  relevant  circumstances,  to  read,  see  or  hear 
the matter contained or embodied in it.
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.)
On  first  conviction  - imprisonment  of  either 
description  for  a  term  which  may  extend  to  three 
years and with fine which may extend to five lakh 
rupees.
Second  or  subsequent  conviction  - imprisonment 
of either description for a term which may extend 
to five years and also with fine which may extend 
to ten lakh rupees.
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
Whoever, Whoever, 
(a) (a)publishes  or  transmits  or  causes  to  be  published  or  transmitted  publishes  or  transmits  or  causes  to  be  published  or  transmitted 
material  in  any  electronic  form  which  depicts  children  engaged  i material  in  any  electronic  form  which  depicts  children  engaged  in  n 
sexually explicit act or conduct; or sexually explicit act or conduct; or
(b) (b)facilitates abusing children online,  facilitates abusing children online, 
shall be punished on first conviction with imprisonment of  shall be punished on first conviction with imprisonment of 
either  description  for  a  term  which  may  extend  to  five  years  and either  description  for  a  term  which  may  extend  to  five  years  and
with fine which may extend to ten lakh rupees and in the event o with fine which may extend to ten lakh rupees and in the event of  f 
second  or  subsequent  conviction  with  imprisonment  of  either  second  or  subsequent  conviction  with  imprisonment  of  either 
description  for  a  term  which  may  extend  to  seven  years  and  also  description  for  a  term  which  may  extend  to  seven  years  and  also 
with fine which may extend to ten lakh rupee with fine which may extend to ten lakh rupee
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.)
Breach of confidentiality and privacy
Misrepresentation
 Publishing  Digital  Signature  Certificate  false  in 
certain particulars and publication for fraudulent 
purposes.
IT ( AMENDMENT) ACT, 2008
Provided  for  far  more  exhaustive  coverage  of 
Provided  for  far  more  exhaustive  coverage  of 
cybercrimes in the law. 
cybercrimes in the law. 
Various new cybercrimes  have been added like the 
Various new cybercrimes  have been added like the 
activities defined in Section 43 of the IT Act, 2000. 
activities defined in Section 43 of the IT Act, 2000. 
The  new  amendments  have    added  identity  theft 
The  new  amendments  have    added  identity  theft 
and  phishing  as  cybercrimes  have  also  covered 
and  phishing  as  cybercrimes  have  also  covered 
breach  of  privacy,  child  pornography  as  specific 
breach  of  privacy,  child  pornography  as  specific 
offences. 
offences. 
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.)
INTERCEPTION
INTERCEPTION
The  new  amendments  have  strengthened  the 
The  new  amendments  have  strengthened  the 
hands  of  the  nation  by  increasing  the  ambit  of 
hands  of  the  nation  by  increasing  the  ambit  of 
the powers of interception of the Government,
the powers of interception of the Government,
Interception,  blocking  and  monitoring  powers  
Interception,  blocking  and  monitoring  powers  
have been more detailed and elaborately stated. 
have been more detailed and elaborately stated. 
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.)
Cyber  Crimes  are  neglected  area  of  jurisprudential 
growth.
Three  cyber  crimes  convictions  in  a  country  of 
Three  cyber  crimes  convictions  in  a  country  of 
billion plus population in the last 15 years.
billion plus population in the last 15 years.
People
People
s  confidence  in  effective  booking  and 
s  confidence  in  effective  booking  and 
prosecution  of  cyber  criminals  by  the  law 
prosecution  of  cyber  criminals  by  the  law 
enforcement agencies is being eroded.
enforcement agencies is being eroded.
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.)
Barring  cyber  terrorism  and  breach  of    
Barring  cyber  terrorism  and  breach  of    
protected system the law has made cyber crimes 
protected system the law has made cyber crimes 
today as bailable offence where bail is entitled as 
today as bailable offence where bail is entitled as 
a  mater  of  right  .    This  is  given  a  completely 
a  mater  of  right  .    This  is  given  a  completely 
non
non
-
-
serious approach to cyber crimes.
serious approach to cyber crimes.
Police invariably are not interested in registering 
Police invariably are not interested in registering 
cyber crimes.
cyber crimes.
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.)
Practical  experience  has  shown  that  after    the 
Practical  experience  has  shown  that  after    the 
amendments  accused  once  out  of  bail  go  ahead 
amendments  accused  once  out  of  bail  go  ahead 
and  delete  the  concerned  electronic  evidence 
and  delete  the  concerned  electronic  evidence 
thereby making it impossible before it would be 
thereby making it impossible before it would be 
prosecuted and convicted.
prosecuted and convicted.
No  cybercrime  conviction  after  the  IT  Act 
No  cybercrime  conviction  after  the  IT  Act 
amendments
amendments
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.)
  There  is  a  need  for  further  amending  the  Information  There  is  a  need  for  further  amending  the  Information 
Technology Act. Technology Act.
  There  is  further  need  for  effectively  providing  mechanisms  There  is  further  need  for  effectively  providing  mechanisms 
and  methodologies  for  appropriate  retention  of  electronic  and  methodologies  for  appropriate  retention  of  electronic 
evidence.   evidence.  
  Inability  to  retain  electronic  evidence  properly  in  accordance  Inability  to  retain  electronic  evidence  properly  in  accordance 
with the law is one of the biggest challenges for the successful with the law is one of the biggest challenges for the successful
prosecution of cyber crimes. prosecution of cyber crimes.
CYBERCRIME LEGISLATION IN 
INDIA (Contd.)
There    is  a  need  for  cohesive,  comprehensive 
There    is  a  need  for  cohesive,  comprehensive 
approach  in  tackling  cyber  crimes  in  terms  of 
approach  in  tackling  cyber  crimes  in  terms  of 
having  an  stringent  legislation  and  effective  
having  an  stringent  legislation  and  effective  
enforcement.
enforcement.
Need  for  empowering  the  relevant  stake  holders 
Need  for  empowering  the  relevant  stake  holders 
with  the  relevant  awareness,  tools  and  wherewithal 
with  the  relevant  awareness,  tools  and  wherewithal 
for  ensuring  the  successful  convictions  of  such 
for  ensuring  the  successful  convictions  of  such 
cyber criminals.
cyber criminals.
A PRESENTATION 
BY 
PAVAN DUGGAL,
ADVOCATE, 
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA 
PRESIDENT, CYBERLAW ASIA
CHAIRMAN, 
ASSOCHAM CYBERLAW 
COMMITTEE