Printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory
Section 501 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 deals with printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory. Whoever prints or engraves any matter, knowing or having good reason to believe that such matter is defamatory of any person, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both. The Act came into force on 01 Jan 1862. Repealed by section 358 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under it.
Whoever prints or engraves any matter, knowing or having good reason to believe that such matter is defamatory of any person, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
Section 501, The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Act 45 of 1860).
Now in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
BNS 356 Defamation Close, with changes 70%
Measured by comparing the text of the two provisions, not taken from an official correspondence table — there is no machine-readable one. See both texts side by side before relying on it.
Both regimes are live. The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force. We never redirect one to the other.
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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Mohammed Abdulla Khan vs Prakash K
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
A newspaper owner can be prosecuted for defamatory content published in the newspaper under Sections 500, 501, and 502 IPC if the elements of the offence are satisfied. The question of whether the respondent committed the acts constituting the offence with the requisite intention or knowledge cannot be determined at the stage of cognizance without examining evidence. The High Court erred in quashing the complaint against the newspaper owner under Section 482 CrPC without examining the substantive question of criminal liability. The trial court must proceed with the case and examine the evidence to determine the guilt of the respondent.
On this section: Provides punishment for printing or engraving defamatory material. The court held that printing defamatory matter 'knowing or having good reason to believe that such matter is defamatory' constitutes a distinct offence.
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Gambhirsinh R. Dekare vs Falgunbhai Chimanbhai Patel
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
An Editor whose name is printed on a newspaper is presumed under Section 7 of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, to be responsible for the selection of matter published in every portion of the newspaper, including editions published from different locations with separate resident editors, unless the Editor proves to the contrary. At the stage of cognizance and issuance of process on a complaint, allegations of knowledge and involvement of the Editor in the publication of defamatory content must be accepted as true; the High Court cannot quash the prosecution based on an assumption that the Editor lacked knowledge when specific allegations establishing such knowledge are pleaded in the complaint. The presumption of editorial responsibility is rebuttable, but the burden to rebut it arises only after the allegation is established or at trial, not at the stage of cognizance.
On this section: Printing or engraving matter containing defamatory material - applied to the newspaper's act of printing the defamatory article
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Arjun Himagiri vs State of Kerala
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When the complainant has withdrawn her grievance, the parties have amicably settled their dispute, the prosecution has no serious objection, no public interest is involved, and no fruitful purpose would be served by proceeding with the case, the High Court may exercise its inherent powers under Section 482 CrPC to quash the charge sheet in the interest of justice and to secure the ends of justice.
On this section: Printing or engraving matter knowing it to be defamatory - one of the charges against the accused
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Judgments citing this section
These may be obiter dicta or a precedent, for you to study. These are the judgments where this section is quoted.
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… Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Cr.PC', for short), seeking to quash the order passed by the Magistrate summoning the appellant pursuant to Digitally signed by GULSHAN KUMAR ARORA Date: 2019.12.10 17:15:00 IST Reason: Signature Not Verified the complaint which seeks to invoke Sections 120B, 500 and 501 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (hereinafter referred to as 'the IPC', for short). THE COMPLAINT 2. The complainant is a public limited company engaged in the business of manufacturing and selling asbestos cement sheets with seven manufacturing plants and more than twenty-five …
Questions about Section 501
What have the courts held on Section 501 of the Indian Penal Code?
Mohammed Abdulla Khan vs Prakash K (04 Dec 2017) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Provides punishment for printing or engraving defamatory material. The court held that printing defamatory matter 'knowing or having good reason to believe that such matter is defamatory' constitutes a distinct offence. Another 2 judgments on this section are set out below, 2 of them from the Supreme Court. They run from 2013 to 2021.
How do I find court cases under Section 501 of the Indian Penal Code?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: IPC 501, section 501 IPC, section 501 of the Indian Penal Code. People searching for it also type ipc 501 in bns and ipc 501 punishment. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 3 reported judgments on this section are set out on this page, beginning with Mohammed Abdulla Khan vs Prakash K (04 Dec 2017).
What should I read with Section 501 of the Indian Penal Code, and has it changed?
For anything done on or after 1 July 2024 the provision to read is BNS 356 (Defamation), which replaced it; conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under this section.
When did Section 501 of the Indian Penal Code come into force?
Section 501 of the Indian Penal Code, cited as IPC 501, came into force on 01 Jan 1862, having been enacted on 06 Oct 1860. It is no longer in force.
Other sections of this Act
- 499. Defamation1512 words
- 464. Making a false document1223 words
- 300. Murder1172 words
- 378. Theft980 words
- 108. Abettor745 words
- 403. Dishonest misappropriation of property727 words
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Recovered from the consolidated text published by India Code (item 7b7d4fe6-206b-4e33-81f1-b98b018acaf6). This page is not a substitute for legal advice.