Legal Provisions of Section 501 of Indian Penal Code, 1860.
Printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory:
Printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory has been punished under this section. The section states that whoever either prints or engraves any matter either with the knowledge that such matter is defamatory of any person, or having good reason to believe that such matter is defamatory of any person, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term extending up to two years, or with fine, or with both which is same as in section 500. Like in that section, here also there is no provision for rigorous imprisonment. The section puts liability on the printer or engraver. Knowledge or good reason to believe that the matter is defamatory must be proved.
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The Indian Penal Code has used the words having reason to believe in many sections. But this is one section where the authors of the Code have gone further and have added the adjective ‘good’ before the words ‘reason to believe’. This indicates that they wanted the courts to be very careful and meticulous while dealing with cases under this section. There is no provision for rigorous imprisonment in this section.
The offence under this section is non-cognizable, bailable and compoundable with permission of the court, and is triable by the court of session in the case of public servant, and in other cases compoundable and triable by magistrate of the first class.