The Kerala Government on Saturday notified the Kerala Police (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 to incorporate Section 118A in the Kerala Police Act which makes intimidation, defamation, or insulting of any person an offence punishable with imprisonment of term upto Three years and/or upto Rs. 10,000/- fine.
The Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammed Khan has signed the Ordinance. The provision stipulates either imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to Rs 10,000 or both to those who makes, expresses, publishes or disseminates content through any means of communication with an intention to intimidate, insult or defame any person through social media.
The Kerala Police Ordinance, 2020 provision reads as under:
“118 A. Punishment for making, expressing, publishing or disseminating any matter which is threatening, abusive, humiliating or defamatory? Whoever makes, expresses, publishes or disseminates through any kind of mode of communication, any matter or subject for threatening, abusing, humiliating or defaming a person or class of persons, knowing it to be false and that causes injury to the mind, reputation or property of such person or class of persons or any other person in whom they have interest shall on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees or with both“
The offence under the Kerala Police Ordinance is cognizable and bailable.
