Legal Provisions of Section 502 of Indian Penal Code, 1860.
Sale of printed or engraved substance containing defamatory matter:
Sale of printed or engraved substance containing defamatory matter has been made punishable under this section. The section says that whoever either sells or offers for sale any printed or engraved substance containing defamatory matter with the knowledge that it contains defamatory matter, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term extending up to two years, or with fine, or with both.
image source: i.ytimg.com
ADVERTISEMENTS:
The section contemplates that the offender must either sell or offer for sale any printed or engraved substance. Such substance must contain defamatory matter. The offender must know that the substance contains defamatory matter. The punishment prescribed is same as in sections 500 and 501 and like at those places, there is no provision for rigorous imprisonment under this section also.
The offence under this section is non-cognizable, bailable and compoundable with permission of court, and is triable by court of session in case of public servant, and in other cases compoundable and triable by magistrate of the first class.