New Delhi: Parliament Wednesday passed a bill providing for imprisonment which could extend to life for those indulging in cyber terrorism and jail term of upto five years for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.
The Information Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2006 was passed by the Rajya Sabha. It has already been approved by the Lower House.
The bill, amending the Information Technology Act, 2000 prescribes stiff punishment for offences related to misuse of computers and communication equipment.
It seeks addition of provisions to deal with new form of cyber crimes like publicising sexually explicit materials in electronic form, video voyeurism, breach of confidentiality, leakage of data by intermediary and e-commerce frauds.
Dishonestly receiving stolen computer resource, identity theft, cheating by personation by using computer resource, violation of privacy will be treated severely with imprisonment upto three years apart from fine.
For those indulging in cyber terrorism with the intent to threaten the unity, integrity, security or sovereignty of the country or to strike terror in the people, the punishment would be stiff. The bill stipulates life imprisonment for such an offence.
The provisions come in the wake of terrorists often using internet for perpetrating crime and claiming responsibility.
Transmitting material containing sexually explicit acts in electronic form would be punishable by imprisonment of upto five years along with a fine of upto Rs 10 lakh.
