BNS Section 181 — Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes

CHAPTER X OF OFFENCES RELATING TO COIN, CURRENCY-NOTES, BANK-NOTES, AND GOVERNMENT STAMPS

Criminal

Summary

Whoever makes or mends any machinery, die, instrument, or material, or performs any part of the process of making or mending it, or buys, sells, or disposes of it, or simply has it in their possession, and does so for the purpose of it being used—or knowing or having reason to believe it is intended to be used—for forging or counterfeiting any coin, any stamp issued by the Government for revenue purposes, any currency-note, or any bank-note, commits an offence under this section. The punishment for this offence is imprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either description for a term that may extend to ten years, and the person shall also be liable to a fine.

Official Text

Whoever makes or mends, or performs any part of the process of making or mending, or buys or sells or disposes of, or has in his possession, any machinery, die, or instrument or material for the purpose of being used, or knowing or having reason to believe that it is intended to be used, for forging or 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.

Related Judgments

  • SARABHAI M. CHEMICALS v. C.C.E., VADODARA — Supreme Court of India (S)
  • CRL A/433/1995 — Madras High Court (1995)
  • SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1309 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • PUNJAB AND SINDH BANK v. VINKAR SAHAKARI BANK LTD. AND ORS. SEPTEMBER 17, 2001 B — Supreme Court of India (S)
  • SC (2024) Vol.7 p.1054 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
  • SC (2025) Vol.11 p.291 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • TABREZ AHMED v. STATE NCT OF DELHI — High Court of Delhi (2021)
  • .. Appellants vs State rep. By — Madras High Court (2008)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

  • IPC §233 — Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes
  • IPC §234 — Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes
  • IPC §235 — Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes
  • IPC §256 — Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes
  • IPC §257 — Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes
  • IPC §489D — Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes
  • IPC §236 — Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes