Section 294 of BNS : Section 294: Sale, etc., of obscene books, etc.

Explanation using Example

Example 1:

Ravi owns a small bookstore in Mumbai. He receives a shipment of books from an overseas supplier. Upon inspection, he finds that some of the books contain explicit and obscene content. Despite knowing the nature of these books, Ravi decides to sell them to his customers. One day, a customer files a complaint with the local police about the obscene content in the books sold by Ravi. The police investigate and find that Ravi has been selling these obscene books. Under Section 294 of The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Ravi can be charged for selling obscene books and may face imprisonment for up to two years and a fine of up to five thousand rupees for his first conviction.

Example 2:

Priya runs an art gallery in Delhi. She decides to exhibit a series of paintings that are highly explicit and lascivious in nature. The exhibition is open to the public, and many visitors, including minors, attend the event. Some visitors find the paintings offensive and file a complaint with the authorities. The police investigate and determine that the paintings are obscene and tend to deprave and corrupt the viewers. Under Section 294 of The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Priya can be charged for publicly exhibiting obscene paintings and may face imprisonment for up to two years and a fine of up to five thousand rupees for her first conviction.

Example 3:

Amit runs a website that hosts various types of content, including videos and images. He uploads several videos that contain explicit and obscene material. The website is accessible to the general public, including minors. A concerned parent discovers that their child has accessed the obscene content on Amit's website and files a complaint with the cybercrime division. The authorities investigate and find that Amit has knowingly uploaded and distributed obscene content. Under Section 294 of The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Amit can be charged for distributing obscene content in electronic form and may face imprisonment for up to two years and a fine of up to five thousand rupees for his first conviction.

Example 4:

Sunil is an importer of various goods, including magazines and DVDs. He imports a batch of magazines that contain explicit and obscene images. Sunil is aware of the content but decides to distribute the magazines to various vendors across the city. One of the vendors is caught selling the obscene magazines, and the authorities trace the source back to Sunil. Under Section 294 of The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Sunil can be charged for importing and distributing obscene objects and may face imprisonment for up to two years and a fine of up to five thousand rupees for his first conviction.

Example 5:

Meera is an artist who creates sculptures. She makes a series of sculptures that are highly explicit and obscene. She advertises her sculptures online, stating that they are available for purchase. A potential buyer, offended by the explicit nature of the sculptures, reports the advertisement to the authorities. The police investigate and find that Meera's sculptures are obscene and that she is advertising them for sale. Under Section 294 of The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Meera can be charged for advertising and attempting to sell obscene objects and may face imprisonment for up to two years and a fine of up to five thousand rupees for her first conviction.