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DEPARTMENT OF LAW
BABASAHEB BHIMRAO AMBEDKAR
UNIVERSITY, LUCKNOW

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

Dr. Pankaj Kumar Rawat Kishan Chaturvedi
X Semester
Department of Law
B.B.A.LL.B (Hons.)
School of Legal Studies Roll No. 196647
Subject
Socio-economic offences
Project Titled
Concept and nature of socio-economic offences
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TABLE OF CONTENT
SERIAL NO. TITLE PAGE

I ACKNOWLEDGEMENT …………………… 3
II RESEARCH METHODOLOGY …………….4
III INTRODUCTIONS ………………………….. 5
V DEFINITION AND NATURE OF………….. 6-7
SOCIO-ECONOMIC OFFENCE
VI CATEGORIES AND FEATURES OF………. 8
SOCIO-ECONOMIC OFFENCES
VII CAUSES OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC……………9-10
OFFENCE
VIII MEASURES FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC……...11-12
OFFENCES
IX CONCLUSIONS ……………………………….13
X BIBILOGRAPHY ……………………………….14
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The project on “Concept and nature of socio-economic offences” is

a result of co-operation, hardwork & good wishes of many people.
I student of “Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar university” would like
to thank our subject lecturer Dr. Pankaj Kumar Rawat for his
involvement in my project and providing me with valuable guidance
throughout my study.
I am also thankful to all those seen & unseen hands and heads, which
have been of direct help in the completion of this project work.
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

(I) Title of the Project

“Concept and nature of socio-economic offences”

(II) OBJECTIVE
The primary objective of the project is to state the basic concept of the
topic. The project aim is limited but is to give a general overview of
the topic.

(III) METHOD
The research method adopted is doctrinal due to the subjective nature
and limited knowledge of the researcher about the topic.

(IV) SOURCE OF DATA

Secondary source of data consisting of books article and various e-
resources have been used in the study.
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INTRODUCTIONS
Crime is an action or omission which constitutes an offence and is
punishable by law. It is any behavior or activity in violation of legal
code. A human conduct that is believed to be harmful in effect to the
social interests is considered as crime. According to Blackstone, ‘a
crime is an act committed or omitted, in violation of a public law
either forbidding or commanding it’. A crime is basically an act which
a particular social group regards as sufficiently harmful to its
fundamental interests. Socio Economic offences are such wrongs which
are committed against society and affect the economy of nation. These
are the offences committed against a group and not particularly against
an individual. Such offences do not require the existence of mens rea
along with the act. These offences impact on the health, morals, social,
or overall well-being of the community as a whole rather than just the
individual victim.
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DEFINITION AND NATURE OF

SOCIO-ECONOMIC OFFENCE

The idea of socio-economic offences in India outlined in India’s 47th

Law Commission Report is critical. According to the study,
socioeconomic crimes are social offences that have an impact on the
health, morals, social, or overall well-being of the community, rather
than just the individual victim. Economic offences are those that are
harmful to society’s economy and endanger not only individual money
but the entire economic structure of a country.
White-collar crimes are perpetrated by members of the affluent and
well-to-do classes. A socioeconomic offence, on the other hand, maybe
committed by anybody. Socio-economic offences not only broaden the
scope of white-collar crime as understood by Sutherland and
acknowledged by others, but also have broader implications.

Socio-economic crimes differ from traditional crimes because they do

not, to a common mind, involve or carry with them any stigma, while
traditional crimes, unlike the socio-economic crimes have a symbolic
meaning for the public and carry stigma involving a disgrace,
depravity, and immorality and are thought of as decidedly the
behaviour of the lower class of people.

Usually, in these types of offences, the victim is mainly public at large,

especially the consuming public, and even if there is no harm to any
particular person, the harm is caused to the society which has a very
large impact upon the society.

In the case of conventional offences, culpability is not absolute and is

rather connected to the wrongdoer’s intent. However, in the case of
socio-economic offences, the government has a propensity to reduce
the need for mens rea for criminal responsibility.
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The harm caused by these offences is higher than that caused by

ordinary crimes. They harm the morals, health, and welfare of the
population as a whole, and they have the potential to destroy the
economic fabric. As a result, the legislature’s policy in such instances
is not to be indulgent in terms of prevention, control, and punishment,
and the perpetrator is not permitted to go unpunished.

Traditional crimes were thought to be the result of the wrongdoer’s

physical, environmental, or sociological maladjustments. As a result,
in such situations, reformative efforts must also be made; on the
contrary, socioeconomic crime is the result of hunger for money rather
than any maladjustment. As a result, in these situations, harsh and
frightening punishment is seen as acceptable, and reformer initiatives
are not implemented.
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CATEGORIES AND FEATURES OF

SOCIO-ECONOMIC OFFENCES

 Actions planned and carried out to impede or inhibit the country’s

economic development and health,
 Income tax evasion,
 Misuse of position and authority by public officials, which is most
likely to result in corruption,
 All offences including breach of contract and delivery of goods
that do not meet the requirements as promised,
 All black marketing and hoarding-related actions,
 Activities involving food and medication adulteration.
Misappropriation and theft of government property and finances,
 The activities associated with the trafficking of licenses, permits,
and so forth.
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CAUSES OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC
OFFENCE

1. The transformation from an agricultural traditional society to

industrialisation
2. The rapid development of technology and moderation
3. Government policy of laissez-faire (the policy of allowing
companies to work without government control or interference)
4. Inequality based on class and status,
5. Poverty
6. Lacing in spiritual and morals to become rich
7. Extreme Business Competition.
Importantance To Include Socio-Economic Offence
The Indian Penal Code, of 1860 did not fulfil the needs of society to
the extent of the present changing society as it changes too fast in
connection with socio-economic offences.
In addition to this Indian Penal Code is not particularly satisfactory in
matters of socioeconomic offences in regard to the circumstances these
crimes are committed. we need to add socio-economic offences and
laws about it for the betterment of society as per the changing needs of
society.
How To Determine Socio-Economic Offences
1. Motive: Firstly, we should check the intention or motive of a person
to do so as under these offences the motive is to become rich by hook
or crook.
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2. Emotion: No emotional relations are present behind these offences

as the person completely wears the glasses of greed.
3. Target: Not an individual but the society at large are the victims of
Socio-Economic Offences.
4. Perpetrator: These offences are mainly done by the people of the
upper class of society in the course of their trade, business and
profession.
5. Modes: Socio-economic offences done by fraud, misrepresentation
and so on rather than the use of force.
6. It affects not on the physical health of the victim but harms the
victim socially as well as economically
7. Unlike traditional crimes, no social stigma relates to the offenders.
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MEASURES FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC

OFFENCES

Leading laws in India against socio-economic offences

1. The Drugs and Cosmetic Act, of 1940
2. The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act,1954
3. The Income Tax Act, of 1957
4. The Prevention of Corruption Act,1988
5. The Essential of Commodities Act,1955 and so on.
Only the new enactments are not sufficient in regards to socio-
economic offences many other changes are introduced like an
increase in fines, and imprisonment along with the changing
procedure of the trials and so on.
Administrative Reforms:
Establishing accountability at all levels of the administration.
Adopting a hire and fire policy by the government.
Set socio-economic offences as grounds for disqualification for
jobs.
Modern Scenario
Everyone in the towards time indeed wants to become richer to
richer in days no matter whether their path to becoming is right or
wrong. As greed increases it has a direct bad impact on the mental
health of the person under which he is lacking in his ethics and
morals.
In virtue of the 47 Law Commission Report, these types of
offences are hard to find as it is performed in many forms
discussed above in addition to this the main involvement of the
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upper influenced class of society is also one main cause why these
offences evolve in the society speedily.
To curb them many committees and law reports formed but the
truth is that it is hard to introduce new criminal jurisprudence for
socio-economic offences so till not any new jurisprudence comes
into being it is controlled by old codified law with new
amendments like increasing punishment, fines and so.
Judicial Response
In Ishardas v. State of Punjab, the apex court observed that the
47 report of the Law Commission recommended the exclusion of
the Probation Act to socio-economic offences. Further, the
Prevention of Food Adulteration Act aims to uproot the problem of
socioeconomic offences.
In Central Bureau of Investigation v. Jagjit Singh, the Supreme
Court said that these offences are a great threat to society. The
ultimate victim of these offences is society at large. In short, it
endangered the economic health of the nation.
In CBI v. Maninder Singh, the court highlighted that the
development of science and technology led to an increase in socio-
economic crimes. These public wrong crimes committed against
society and the magnitude and gravity attached to these offences
are concentrated on the public.
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CONCLUSION
It is very clear from the above discussion that socioeconomic offences
degrade the social and economic health of the nation on a large scale.
These offences are confused with many similar offences, but this is
not so easy to tackle as it is completely different from other offences
given the fact that the main reason behind this is greed and desires of
a person which never came to an end. In virtue of all this, there is a
need to take some major steps to curb this problem at an earlier stage
before it deepens its roots completely. To get out of it the special laws
are made stringent with utmost care. the execution of these laws is
very important along with the social stigma attached to offenders not
only in the present time but also in future.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS
J.P.S. Singh, Socio-Economic Offences(1st ED.2005,Reprint 2017)
E-RESOURCES
https://theoryofabrogation.com/socio-economic-offences/
https://blog.ipleaders.in/socio-economic-offences-in-india/
https://www.legalserviceindia.com/legal/article-11062-socio-
economic-offences-and-white-collar-crime.html