Whoever molests, or abets the molestation, of a debtor for the recovery of a debt due by him to money-lender shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment of either description which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both :
1[Provided that, a person who goes to such house or place in order merely to obtain or communicate information shall not be deemed to have molested for the purposes of this section.]
Explanation.- For the purposes of this section, a person who, with intent to cause another person to abstain from doing any act which he has a right to do or to do any act which he has a right to abstain from doing,-
(a) obstructs or uses violence to or intimidates such other person, or
(b) persistently follows such other person from place to place or interferes with any property owned, or used by him or deprives him of, or hinders him in, the use thereof, or
(c) loiters near a house or other place where such other person resides or works, or carries on business, or happens to be, or does any act calculated to annoy or intimidate such other person,
shall be deemed to molest such other person.
1[Provided that, a person who goes to such house or place in order merely to obtain or communicate information shall not be deemed to have molested for the purposes of this section.]
Explanation.- For the purposes of this section, a person who, with intent to cause another person to abstain from doing any act which he has a right to do or to do any act which he has a right to abstain from doing,-
(a) obstructs or uses violence to or intimidates such other person, or
(b) persistently follows such other person from place to place or interferes with any property owned, or used by him or deprives him of, or hinders him in, the use thereof, or
(c) loiters near a house or other place where such other person resides or works, or carries on business, or happens to be, or does any act calculated to annoy or intimidate such other person,
shall be deemed to molest such other person.
1 This proviso was added by Mah. 23 of 2014, s. 11.