Computer Related Offence
Criminal offences under Section 66 of the IT Act involving dishonest or fraudulent acts in relation to computer systems — punishable with imprisonment up to three years and/or fine.
Full Definition
Section 66 of the IT Act creates the primary criminal offence for cyber misconduct: any act described in Section 43 (which covers unauthorised access, damage to computer systems, data theft, introduction of malware, denial of service attacks) done dishonestly or fraudulently is a criminal offence under Section 66. The 2008 Amendment expanded this into a family of offences: Section 66A (online communication causing annoyance — struck down by Supreme Court in 2015), Section 66B (receiving stolen computer resources), Section 66C (identity theft), Section 66D (cheating by personation using computer resources), Section 66E (violation of privacy), and Section 66F (cyber terrorism — the most serious, carrying potential life imprisonment).
In Indian Law
IT Act Sections 43 and 66–66F. Section 66 offences are cognisable, bailable, and triable by any magistrate. Section 66F (cyber terrorism) is non-bailable and carries imprisonment up to life. Key cases: Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015) struck down Section 66A as unconstitutional. The IT Act Sections 66C (identity theft) and 66D (cheating by personation) are the most frequently invoked in financial fraud cases — UPI fraud, phishing, and SIM-swap attacks all typically attract these provisions.
Related Legal Sections
Landmark Cases
Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015) — Section 66A struck down as unconstitutional
State of Tamil Nadu v. Suhas Katti (2004) — India's first IT Act conviction
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Section 43 and Section 66 of the IT Act?
Section 43 creates civil liability (compensation up to ₹5 crore) for damage to computer systems without requiring criminal intent. Section 66 converts the same acts into criminal offences when done dishonestly or fraudulently — carrying imprisonment and criminal fines.