Indian Penal Code, 1860
Section 502
repealedSale of printed or engraved substance containing defamatory matter
Whoever sells or offers for sale any printed or engraved substance containing defamatory matter, knowing that it contains such matter, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
Why this exists
This provision extends responsibility for spreading defamation to distributors and sellers, such as booksellers, vendors, or newsstands, who knowingly sell material containing defamatory content. It closes a gap that might otherwise let sellers profit from circulating defamatory publications while claiming they were not the author or printer, as long as they are shown to have known the material was defamatory.
Common misconceptions
- Myth: Booksellers and vendors can never be held responsible for defamatory content they didn't write.
Fact: If a seller knowingly sells material containing defamatory content, they can be prosecuted under this section even though they did not write or print it.