Personating a public servant
Full Text
204. Personating a public servant.
Whoever pretends to hold any particular office as a public servant, knowing that he does not hold such office or falsely personates any other person holding such office, and in such assumed character does or attempts to do any act under colour of such office, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to three years and with fine.
Plain English Summary
Punishes pretending to be a public servant and performing/attempting any act under that assumed authority, with rigorous or simple imprisonment from six months up to three years, and a fine.
Key Legal Elements
- Pretending to hold a public office knowing one does not hold it
- Or falsely personating another public servant
- Performing or attempting to perform any act under the colour of such office
- Punished with a minimum of six months and up to three years of imprisonment and fine
Punishment
Imprisonment not less than 6 months and up to 3 years, and fine
Practical Note
This section replaces IPC 170. It introduces a mandatory minimum punishment of six months, making it significantly stricter than the old code.
हिंदी पाठ
204. लोक सेवक का प्रतिरूपण (भेष बदलना)।
जो कोई किसी विशिष्ट पद को लोक सेवक के रूप में धारण करने का यह जानते हुए दिखावा करेगा कि वह ऐसा पद नहीं रखता है, या ऐसे पद को धारण करने वाले किसी अन्य व्यक्ति का झूठा प्रतिरूपण करेगा, और ऐसे कल्पित रूप में ऐसे पद के आभास (अधिकार) में कोई कार्य करेगा या करने का प्रयत्न करेगा, वह दोनों में से किसी भांति के कारावास से, जिसकी अवधि छह महीने से कम की नहीं होगी किन्तु जो तीन वर्ष तक की हो सकेगी, और जुर्माने से दंडित किया जाएगा।