Section 420
Encyclopedia
Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code
also used in Pakistan
, Bangladesh
and Afghanistan
has become a slang
reference for a confidence trickster. Such criminals are called 420 in popular culture
in those countries. The section deals with the cases of cheating
and awards punishment of fine and/or jail
up to 7 years.
A 420 is a person acting fraudulently to cheat somebody out of their belongings; a confidence trickster. Section 420 of the Penal Codes of both India and Pakistan cover such activity. The Penal Codes of both countries are inherited from the Indian Penal Code
of 1860 instituted by the colonial government of the British India, which then included the present-day countries of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. A popular 1955 Hindi film from India, Shri 420
(in English: Mr. 420) has a central character who, though innocent, is regarded by many as a con man
, hence "Mr. 420".
It is to be noted that the code was also in use in other neighboring countries such as Myanmar
, where even today the term 420 means a con-artist. In the Nigerian Criminal Code, the same offense is covered by article 419, which has also given its name to the now ubiquitous advance fee fraud
.
Indian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code is the main criminal code of India. It is a comprehensive code, intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. It was drafted in 1860 and came into force in colonial India during the British Raj in 1862...
also used in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
has become a slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
reference for a confidence trickster. Such criminals are called 420 in popular culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
in those countries. The section deals with the cases of cheating
Cheating
Cheating refers to the breaking of rules to gain advantage in a competitive situation. The rules infringed may be explicit, or they may be from an unwritten code of conduct based on morality, ethics or custom, making the identification of cheating a subjective process. Cheating can refer...
and awards punishment of fine and/or jail
Imprisonment
Imprisonment is a legal term.The book Termes de la Ley contains the following definition:This passage was approved by Atkin and Duke LJJ in Meering v Grahame White Aviation Co....
up to 7 years.
A 420 is a person acting fraudulently to cheat somebody out of their belongings; a confidence trickster. Section 420 of the Penal Codes of both India and Pakistan cover such activity. The Penal Codes of both countries are inherited from the Indian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code is the main criminal code of India. It is a comprehensive code, intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. It was drafted in 1860 and came into force in colonial India during the British Raj in 1862...
of 1860 instituted by the colonial government of the British India, which then included the present-day countries of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. A popular 1955 Hindi film from India, Shri 420
Shri 420
Shree 420 is a 1955 Bollywood film directed, produced by and starring Raj Kapoor.The film centers on Raj, a poor, but educated orphan who comes to Bombay with dreams of success...
(in English: Mr. 420) has a central character who, though innocent, is regarded by many as a con man
Con Man
Con Man or Conman may refer to:* A con artist, or a person who uses a fraud method known as a confidence trick* Con Man, a.k.a. Freelance , starring Ian McShane...
, hence "Mr. 420".
It is to be noted that the code was also in use in other neighboring countries such as Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, where even today the term 420 means a con-artist. In the Nigerian Criminal Code, the same offense is covered by article 419, which has also given its name to the now ubiquitous advance fee fraud
Advance fee fraud
An advance-fee fraud is a confidence trick in which the target is persuaded to advance sums of money in the hope of realizing a significantly larger gain...
.