Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks for the specific sections in the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) that deal with the offense of adulterating food or drink.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Chapter XIV of the IPC deals with offenses affecting public health, safety, convenience, decency, and morals. Within this chapter:
- Section 272 deals with the adulteration of food or drink intended for sale. It penalizes the act of adulterating any article of food or drink to make it noxious.
- Section 273 deals with the sale of noxious food or drink. It penalizes the act of selling, or offering for sale, any food or drink which has been rendered noxious or is in a state unfit for consumption.
Let's check the other options:
- Sections 274-276 deal with adulteration of drugs and sale of adulterated drugs.
- Sections 277-278 deal with fouling water of a public spring or reservoir (277) and making the atmosphere noxious to health (278).
Step 3: Final Answer:
The offense of adulteration of food or drink is punishable under Sections 272-273 of the IPC.
A glance over all the Sections related to extortion would reveal a clear distinction being carried out between the actual commission of extortion and the process of putting a person in fear for the purpose of committing extortion. Section 383 defines extortion, the punishment therefor is given in Section 384. Sections 386 and 388 provide for an aggravated form of extortion. These sections deal with the actual commission of an act of extortion, whereas Sections 385, 387 and 389 IPC seek to punish for an act committed for the purpose of extortion even though the act of extortion may not be complete and property not delivered. It is in the process of committing an offence that a person is put in fear of injury, death or grievous hurt. Section 387 IPC provides for a stage prior to committing extortion, which is putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt ’in order to commit extortion’, similar to Section 385 IPC. Hence, Section 387 IPC is an aggravated form of 385 IPC, not 384 IPC. Having deliberated upon the offence of extortion and its forms, we proceed to analyze the essentials of both Sections, i.e.,383 and 387 IPC, the High Court dealt with.
(Extracted from Balaji Traders v. State of UP, 2025 INSC 806)