Cheating, Cheating is defined as whoever, by deceiving any person, fraudulently or dishonestly induces the person so deceived to deliver any property to any person or to consent that any person shall retain any property, or intentionally induces the person so deceived to do or omit to do anything which he would not do or omit if he were not so deceived, and which act or omission causes or is likely to cause damage or harm to that, person in body mind, reputation or property, is said to 'cheat' in s. 415 of the IPC and the ingredients for the offence are:
(i) there should be fraudulent or dishonest inducement of a person by deceiving him;
(ii) (a) the person so induced should be intentionally induced to deliver any property to any person or to consent that any person shall retain any property, or
(b) the person so induced should be intentionally induced to do or to omit to do anything which he would not do or omit if he were not so deceived; and
(iii) In cases covered by the second part of (ii), the act or omission should be one which caused or is likely to cause damage or harm to the person induced in body, mind, reputation or property.
R.S. Nayak v. A.R. Antulay, AIR 1986 SC 2045 (2079): (1986) 2 SCC. (Indian Penal Code, 1860, s. 415)