Section 279: Prohibition of committing fraud

1) No person shall commit, or cause to be committed, fraud.

2) For the purposes of sub-section (1), a person who, with intent to disentitle any one, expire the statute of limitation or appointed date for presence of, or cause, in any manner, loss, damage, injury or benefit to, any one, knowingly does an act stating that any thing has happened or been done which has not happened or been done in fact or makes or signs a document containing a false date, figure or content or causes another person to sign such document or showing that he or she has entitlement in anything in which he or she has no such entitlement in fact, which does not constitute the offence of forgery, shall be considered to commit the offence of fraud.

3) A person who commits, or causes to be committed, the offence referred to in sub-section (1) shall be liable to a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or a fine not exceeding thirty thousand rupees or both the sentences.

4) A person who has already disposed of property which he or she has obtained by committing fraud shall be liable to an additional fine equal to the claimed amount, in addition to the sentence referred in sub-section (3).

5) Where a person obtains any property by committing fraud, the person shall return such property to the concerned owner; and in the event that such property has already been disposed of, the claimed amount of such property shall be caused to be recovered to the owner from any other property of the offender.