IPC Section 72
🔹 IPC Section 72 – Penalty for Breach of Confidentiality and Privacy
Text of the Section:
“Whoever, being entrusted with, or having lawfully obtained, any document or information, which is by law made confidential, or is intended to be used only for a particular purpose, discloses such document or information without the consent of the person to whom it relates, or in breach of any legal contract or obligation, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.”
🔍 Explanation:
Section 72 deals with breach of confidentiality. It penalizes a person who, being entrusted with confidential information or documents, wrongfully reveals or discloses such information without proper permission.
✅ In simpler terms:
If someone is given confidential information or documents for a specific purpose or legally obtains such information.
And if they share or disclose this information without the consent of the person to whom the information belongs, or against the terms of an agreement or law,
Then that person commits an offense under Section 72 and can be punished.
📄 Key Elements:
Entrusted or lawfully obtained information:
The person must have received or accessed the information legally, either because they were trusted with it or had lawful means to obtain it.
Confidential by law or intended for a particular purpose:
The information must be meant to be kept secret or confidential, such as trade secrets, medical records, or government secrets.
Disclosure without consent:
Sharing or revealing the information without the permission of the concerned person or entity.
Breach of contract or legal obligation:
The disclosure may also violate a contract, agreement, or any legal duty to keep the information secret.
⚖️ Punishment:
Imprisonment for up to 2 years, or
A fine, or
Both imprisonment and fine.
📌 Examples:
An employee of a company who shares confidential business plans with a competitor.
A doctor or hospital staff revealing patient medical records without consent.
Government official disclosing secret documents.
A lawyer leaking client information.
🔐 Why is this section important?
It protects privacy and confidentiality.
Ensures that sensitive information is not misused or exposed recklessly.
Encourages trust in professional and legal relationships.
Supports legal accountability in matters of privacy.
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