Code:
Section 184 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with the offense of obstructing the sale of property by a public servant authorized to sell it.
Explain it:
This section states that whoever intentionally obstructs, by any means, the sale of any property by a public servant who is lawfully authorized to sell it, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
Illustrate it:
Consider a situation where a public servant is authorized to sell a confiscated property. An individual, intentionally, hinders the sale by:
- Threatening the potential buyers
- Filing false complaints against the public servant
- Damaging the property to decrease its value
Such actions would fall under the purview of Section 184 of the IPC.
Common Questions and Answers:
Q: What constitutes “obstructing the sale”?
A: Any act that directly hinders the sale process, like making false claims about the property, threatening buyers, or physically interfering with the auction.
Q: Does the property need to be actually sold for the offense to be committed?
A: No, the offense is complete even if the sale is not ultimately successful. The act of obstructing the sale itself is criminalized.
Q: What is the punishment for this offense?
A: Imprisonment up to 2 years, fine, or both.
