Navigating Cyber Crime Laws: Mapping Offenses and Penalties Part-1

Navigating Cyber Crime Laws: Mapping Offenses and Penalties

Introduction: 

Understanding the legal framework behind cyber crime is crucial. This table outlines the relationship between various offenses and the applicable sections under ITA 2000, ITA 2008, IPC, and other special and local laws, revealing the comprehensive spectrum of actions and consequences.

S.No	Nature of  Complaint	Applicable Sections and Punishments under ITA 2000 and ITAA 2008	Applicable Section(s) under Other Laws and Punishment
1.	Tampering with computer source documents	U/S 65 of ITAA 2008— 3 years imprisonment or fine up to ₹2 lakh or both	Section 66 of ITAA 2008— 3 years imprisonment or fine up to ₹5 lakh or both
2.	Data theft from an individual or company	U/S 66 of ITAA 2008— 3 years imprisonment or fine up to ₹5 lakh or both	Section 379 IPC— 3 years imprisonment or fine or both
3.	E-mail access by fraud with password	U/S 66 of ITAA 2008— 3 years imprisonment or fine up to ₹5 lakh or both	Section 66C of ITAA 2008— 3 years imprisonment and fine up to ₹1 lakh
4.	Data Modification	U/S 66 of ITAA 2008— 3 years imprisonment or fine up to ₹5 lakh or both
5.	Misuse of Wi-Fi against state	U/S 66— 3 years imprisonment or fine up to ₹5 lakh or both<br>Section 66F— life imprisonment
6.	Planting a virus against the state	U/S 66— 3 years imprisonment or fine up to ₹5 lakh or both<br>Section 66F— life imprisonment
7.	Denial of service attack on government	U/S 66 of ITAA 2008— 3 years imprisonment or fine up to ₹5 lakh or both	Section 66F of ITAA 2008— life imprisonment
8.	Stealing data from national security	U/S 66 of ITAA 2008— 3 years imprisonment or fine up to ₹5 lakh or both<br>66F— life imprisonment
9.	Copyright infringement	U/S 66 of ITAA 2008— 3 years imprisonment or fine up to ₹5 lakh or both	Sec. 63, 63B Copyrights Act 1957
10.	Sending offensive messages	U/S 66A of ITAA 2008— Three years imprisonment and fine	Section 504 IPC— 2 years or fine or both Sec. 500 IPC— 2 years or fine or both
11.	Failure to Block Web Sites	U/S 69A ITAA 2008: imprisonment up to 7 yrs and fine
12.	Threatening Messages by E-mail	U/S 66A ITAA 2008: 3 yrs imprisonment and fine	Sec. 504 IPC: 2 yrs or fine or both
13.	Sending Defamatory E-mails	U/S 66A ITAA 2008: 3 yrs imprisonment and fine	Sec. 500 IPC: 2 yrs or fine or both
14.	E-mail Abuse	U/S 66A ITAA 2008: 3 yrs imprisonment and fine	Sec. 500 IPC: 2 yrs or fine or both
15.	Punishment for Criminal Intimidation	U/S 66A ITAA 2008: 3 yrs imprisonment and fine. Sec. 506 IPC: 2 yrs or fine or both	Sec. 506 IPC: 7 yrs imprisonment or fine if threat is to cause death or grievous hurt, etc.
16.	Criminal Intimidation by Anonymous Comm.	U/S 66A ITAA 2008: 3 yrs imprisonment and fine, Sec. 507 IPC: 2 yrs along with Sec. 506 IPC	Sec. 506 IPC: 2 yrs or fine or both
17.	Receiving Stolen Computer/Mobile/Data	U/S 66B ITAA 2008: 3 yrs imprisonment or ₹1 lakh fine or both, Sec. 411 IPC: 3 yrs imprisonment or fine or both

Elaboration and Examples:

Punishment for Criminal Intimidation (Sl. No. 15): Using electronic communication to intimidate someone can result in charges under Section 66A of ITAA 2008. For instance, sending threatening messages online to induce fear.

 

Criminal Intimidation by Anonymous Communication (Sl. No. 16): If criminal intimidation is carried out anonymously, it's covered by Section 66A of ITAA 2008 and further enhanced by Section 507 IPC. For example, sending anonymous threatening e-mails.

 

Receiving Stolen Computer/Mobile/Data (Sl. No. 17): Possessing stolen electronic devices or data, owned by someone else, can lead to charges under Section 66B of ITAA 2008. For instance, using someone else's stolen laptop.

 

Conclusion: 

Continuing the mapping of cybercrime offenses and their associated legal provisions reveals the intricacies and dimensions of digital law enforcement. By referencing this comprehensive table, individuals can better grasp the legal ramifications of various cyber transgressions.