At first, it might appear to you that you can call anybody at any time of the day and joke with them over the call about something serious and you can get away with it. But that is not how it works, you see, there are actual and severe legal consequences you’ll be dealing with if the person on the receiving end decides to take action. And if you are someone who’s getting a lot of prank calls or somebody just prank-called you regarding something serious in life, yes, as per the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Information Technology (IT) Act, you can take legal action against them. Just keep on reading, we’ll go over the specific IPC sections, so that you know everything beforehand. Alright, here we go now.
Key Laws Governing Prank Calling in India
Sure, even though there is no specific law to deal with prank calls in India, the IPC and IT Act have sections that tackle misuse of communication, you know? For instance, Section 182 of the IPC is invoked if someone provides a public authority with false information, like a phony emergency call. Just remember, should the call contain abusive or indecent material, whether Section 294 of the IPC or Section 67 of the IT Act corresponds to the circumstances will depend on the situation. Not just that though, if your prank causes an individual’s religious feelings to be hurt or creates a disturbance in public order, it may fall under Section 153A and Section 295A of the IPC.
Consequences of Illegal Prank Calling
Just if you are planning on prank-calling someone, or if someone is prank-calling you, then you should know what could be the legal consequences of that, right? So, just know that they will likely face criminal charges if they gradually overstep the mark by placing repeated calls or if the victim is subjected to harassment. Whether the call is unlawful or not can be discerned from the intent of the caller and the effect of the call on the receiver. If your prank brings forth anxiety, distress, or chaos in the life of another person, you will definitely be held guilty under the law.
So, When Exactly Does a Prank Call Become Illegal?
See, let’s keep it simple, when it harms or distresses the person on the receiving end, a prank call becomes illegal at that very moment. Annoying, harassing, alarming someone, or lying, to give an instance, are all risks of legal trouble over whether the call was meant to irritate. To illustrate, a hoax involving faking emergencies, such as implicating the police in a hoax, is readily illegal and poses a great threat to the public. In addition, the call may be interpreted as harassment by the victim if they feel unsafe or are emotionally troubled, you know? Besides, by using Caller ID Spoofing or other means of disguising your identity, you could find yourself facing serious charges, that we can say for sure.
