BNS Section 178 — Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes

Summary

Whoever counterfeits, or knowingly takes part in any step of the counterfeiting process, of any coin, Government revenue stamp, currency-note, or bank-note, faces punishment of imprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either kind for up to ten years, along with a fine.

Explanation (1): The term bank-note means a promissory note or promise to pay money to the bearer on demand, issued by any person running a banking business anywhere in the world, or issued by or under the authority of any State or Sovereign Power, and meant to be used as money or as a substitute for money.

Explanation (2): The term coin has the same meaning as given in section 2 of the Coinage Act, 2011, and also includes metal currently used as money that is stamped and issued by or under the authority of any State or Sovereign Power for that purpose.

Explanation (3): A person commits the offence of counterfeiting a Government stamp by making a genuine stamp of one denomination appear to be a genuine stamp of a different denomination.

Explanation (4): A person commits the offence of counterfeiting coin if, intending to deceive or knowing deception is likely, they cause a genuine coin to appear like a different coin.

Explanation (5): The offence of counterfeiting coin includes reducing the weight, changing the composition, or altering the appearance of the coin.

Official Text

Whoever counterfeits, or knowingly performs any part of the process of counterfeiting, any coin, stamp issued by Government for the purpose of revenue, currency-note or bank-note, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this Chapter,—

(1) the expression “bank-note” means a promissory note or engagement for the payment of money to bearer on demand issued by any person carrying on the business of banking in any part of the world, or issued by or under the authority of any State or Sovereign Power, and intended to be used as equivalent to, or as a substitute for money;

(2) “coin” shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in section 2 of the Coinage Act, 2011 (11 of 2011) and includes metal used for the time being as money and is stamped and issued by or under the authority of any State or Sovereign Power intended to be so used;

(3) a person commits the offence of “counterfeiting Government stamp” who counterfeits by causing a genuine stamp of one denomination to appear like a genuine stamp of a different denomination;

(4) a person commits the offence of counterfeiting coin who intending to practise deception, or knowing it to be likely that deception will thereby be practised, causes a genuine coin to appear like a different coin; and

(5) the offence of “counterfeiting coin” includes diminishing the weight or alteration of the composition, or alteration of the appearance of the coin.

Related Judgments

• SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1309 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.11 p.291 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1531 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.6 p.280 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• ... Appellant/Accused vs State by — Madras High Court (2009)
• SC (2024) Vol.8 p.670 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
• SC (2024) Vol.7 p.1054 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
• SC (2025) Vol.4 p.2730 — Supreme Court of India (2025)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• IPC §231 — Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes
• IPC §255 — Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes
• IPC §489A — Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes
• IPC §230 — Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes
• IPC §246 — Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes
• IPC §248 — Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes