Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
Section 354
Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine
Whoever voluntarily causes or attempts to cause any person to do anything which that person is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do anything which he is legally entitled to do, by inducing or attempting to induce that person to believe that he or any person in whom he is interested will become or will be rendered by some act of the offender an object of Divine displeasure if he does not do the thing which it is the object of the offender to cause him to do, or if he does the thing which it is the object of the offender to cause him to omit, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both. Illustrations.
(a) A sits dharna at Z’s door with the intention of causing it to be believed that, by so sitting, he renders Z an object of Divine displeasure. A has committed the offence defined in this section.
(b) A threatens Z that, unless Z performs a certain act, A will kill one of A’s own children, under such circumstances that the killing would be believed to render Z an object of Divine displeasure. A has committed the offence defined in this section.
Why this exists
This provision guards against a distinctly Indian form of coercion — using religious or superstitious belief in divine curses to pressure someone into action, historically associated with practices like sitting dharna at a debtor's door. The law recognizes that such psychological coercion can be just as effective (and unjust) as a physical threat, even without any direct violence.
Common misconceptions
- Myth: This section is about religious offences or blasphemy.
Fact: It has nothing to do with insulting religion — it punishes using the threat of divine displeasure as a coercive tool to force someone to act against their will.