Current Volume 9
Sextortion as an Emerging Cybercrime: An Analysis of Legal Gaps in the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
Abstract
Victims often find themselves trapped in financial pressure after being threatened with leaked private photos. That stems from predators using threats of exposure to extract money or demand new content, tactics rooted in emotional manipulation rather than actual data breaches. Even though Indian laws don't name sextortion as its own offense, rules under the information Technology Act, 2000, and the bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, are used loosely to catch similar acts. As it happens, this leads to cases being mislabeled or dropped entirely because the exact nature of the harm isn't clearly defined. The legal system fails to offer clear direction when handling these offenses. So this gap means investigations stall and prosecutors struggle to build strong cases against perpetrators. A recent review shows how courts apply existing sections without creating special procedures for sextortion-specific harms. Without dedicated statutes, victims end up handling a maze of conflicting interpretations instead of receiving consistent support during trials. The article finds that the current laws are incapable of fully handling sextortion issues and strongly advocates for developing a more integrated, clearly articulated, and victim-friendly legal system in India.
Keywords
Sextortion Coercion, Cyber Exploitation Privacy, Information Technology Act,2000 Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
Citations
IRE Journals:
Deeksha Upadhyay, Swarnim Chaudhary "Sextortion as an Emerging Cybercrime: An Analysis of Legal Gaps in the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 9 Issue 10 2026 Page 3975-3979 https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I10-1717122
IEEE:
Deeksha Upadhyay, Swarnim Chaudhary
"Sextortion as an Emerging Cybercrime: An Analysis of Legal Gaps in the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 9(10) https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I10-1717122
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