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Section 66A of IT act


********The Act*********

66A. Punishment for sending offensive messages through communication service, etc.

Any person who sends, by means of a computer resource or a communication device-

  •  any information that is grossly offensive or has menacing character; or
  • any information which he knows to be false, but for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, or ill will, persistently makes by making use of such computer resource or a communication device,
  • any electronic mail or electronic mail message for the purpose of causing annoyance or inconvenience or to deceive or to mislead the addressee or recipient about the origin of such messages shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and with fine.

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After uproar of recent facebook arrests and protests against this controversial act, government has modified rules under this act.

New rules:

No less than a police officer of a rank of DCP will be allowed to permit registration of a case under provisions of the IT Act that deals with spreading hatred through electronic messages, following uproar over recent arrests under the controversial law.

This act may be still subjected to misinterpretation and lack of expertise among public officials about cybercrime, internet world makes it worse.