SECTION 173 IPC - Indian Penal Code - Preventing service of summons or other proceeding, or preventing publication thereof

Whoever in any manner intentionally prevents the serving on himself, or on any other person, of any summons, notice or order proceeding from any public servant legally competent, such public servant, to issue such summons, notice or order,
or intentionally prevents the lawful affixing to any place of any such summons, notice or order,
or intentionally removes any such summons, notice or order from any place to which it is lawfully affixed,
or intentionally prevents the lawful making of any proclamation, under the authority of any public servant legally competent, as such public servant, to direct such proclamation to be made,
shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both;

or, if the summons, notice, order or proclamation is to attend in person or by agent, or to produce a document in a Court of Justice, with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.

IPC 173 in Simple Words

If someone intentionally hinders the delivery of a summons, notice, order, or proclamation from a public servant, they can be punished with up to one month in jail, a fine of up to five hundred rupees, or both; and if the requirement is to appear in a Court of Justice or produce a document, the punishment can be up to six months in jail, a fine of up to one thousand rupees, or both.

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