420, exactly 420.Can you guess what 420 is? Is it a popular Drama serial of 420 by Mostafa Sarwar Faruki in which artists like Tisha, Mosharaf Kareem and others acted?
No. It is not so. Little confuse!
Yes, we often use this word of 420 and many other words like this but we don’t know the meaning of these words. Don’t worry we will clarify you about 420 in a little while.
We use this word of 420 to label person who are cheater, fraud, tout, corrupt, imposter etc. However, many of us don’t know the significance of 420.
The word 420 is not a word at all rather it is a section of a law name “THE PENAL CODE, 1860”.
The Penal Code actually defines different crimes and delimits punishment for those crimes. This law of penal code is almost the same in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
In section: 420 of THE PENAL CODE, 1860, it reads as follows: CHEATING AND DISHONESTY INCLUDING DELIVERY OF PROPERTY: Whoever cheats and thereby dishonestly induces the person deceived to deliver any property to any person, or to make, alter, or destroy the whole or any part of a valuable security, or any thing which is signed or sealed, and which is capable or being converted into a valuable security, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall be liable to fine.
So, you understood what 420 is all about, it is a section of penal code, 1860 which fixed the punishment of seven years for cheating.
Be careful guys in using the word 420. If you understand then make sure that your friends know about 420.
In summary the word is often used to refer persons who are not morally good and upright in dealing.
Arfan Ahmed, University of Dhaka.
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