Section 493 — Cohabitation caused by a man deceitfully inducing a belief of lawful marriage
Offence
Punishment
- Imprisonment: ten years.
Indian Penal Code, 1860
OFFENCES RELATING TO MARRIAGE
Every man who by deceit causes any woman who is not lawfully married to him to believe that she is lawfully married to him and to cohabit or have sexual intercourse with him in that belief,
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Whoever, having a husband or wife living, marries in any case in which such marriage is void by reason of its taking place during the life of such husband or wife,
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Whoever commits the offence defined in the last preceding section having concealed from the person with whom the subsequent marriage is contracted, the fact of the former marriage,
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Whoever, dishonestly or with a fraudulent intention, goes through the ceremony of being married, knowing that he is not thereby lawfully married,
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Whoever has sexual intercourse with a person who is and whom he knows or has reason to believe to be the wife of another man, without the consent or connivance of that man, such sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape, is guilty of the offence of adultery, and
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both. In such case the wife shall not be punishable as an abettor.
Whoever takes or entices away any woman who is and whom he knows or has reason to believe to be the wife of any other man, from that man, or from any person having the care of her on behalf of that man, with intent that she may have illicit intercourse with any person, or conceals or detains with that intent any such woman,
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
Whoever, being the husband or the relative of the husband of a woman, subjects such woman to cruelty
shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine.