Moral turpitude, 'Moral turpitude' is an expression which is used in legal as also societal parlance to describe conduct which is inherently base, vile, depraved or having any connection showing depravity, Pawan Kumar v. State of Haryana, AIR 1996 SC 3300: (1996) 4 SCC 17 (21). See also AIR 1959 All 71.
One of the most serious offences involving 'moral turpitude' would be where a person employed in a banking company dealing with money of the general public, commits forgery and wrongfully withdraws money which he is not entitled to withdraw, Allahabad Bank v. Deepak Kumar Bhola, (1997) 4 SCC 1 (4).
Moral turpitude, whether an offence involves moral delinquency is question of fact depending on the public morals of the time; common sense of community and context and purpose for which the character of offence is to be determined. In common parlance 'moral turpitude' means baseness of character. Concise Oxford Dictionary defines 'moral' - 'Concerned with goodness or badness of character or disposition or with distinction between right and wrong .....virtuous in general conduct ...... 'Turpitude' means 'baseness' deprivity, wickedness'. Thus any act which is contrary to good morals from society's point of view will come within the ambit of 'moral turpitude'. 'The term 'moral turpitude' is rather vague one and it may have different meaning in different contents. The term has generally been taken to mean to be a conduct contrary to Justice, honesty, modesty or good morals and contrary to what a man owes to a fellow-man or to society in general. It has never been held that gravity of punishment is to be considered in determining whether the misconduct involves moral turpitude or not', Durga Singh v. State of Punjab, AIR 1957 Punj 97. Act of killing a person is normally attributed to a feeling of hurt or revenge; an act of personal vendetta. Per se an act of murder will not come within the broad concept of 'moral turpitude' as interpreted by courts, Kuldeep Singh v. State of Punjab, AIR 1994 P&H 242.
View Judgments Citing this Phrase View Acts Citing this Phrase