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

1 [Coin is metal used for the time being as money, and stamped and issued by the authority of some State or Sovereign Power in order to be so used.] 2 [ Indian coin .-- Indian coin is metal stamped and issued by the authority of the Government of India in order to be used as money; and metal which has been so stamped and issued shall continue to be Indian coin for the purposes of this Chapter, notwithstanding that it may have ceased to be used as money.] Illustrations (a) Cowries are not coin. (b) Lumps of unstamped copper, though used as money, are not coin. (c) Medals are not coin, inasmuch as they are not intended to be used as money. (d) The coin denominated as the Company's rupee is 3 [Indian coin]. 4 [(e) The "Farukhabad rupee", which was formerly used as money under the authority of the Government of India, is 5 [Indian coin] although it is no longer so used.] Official footnote 1. Subs. by Act 19 of 1872, s. 1, for the first paragraph. 2. Subs. by the A. O. 1950, for the second paragraph. 3. Subs., ibid ., for "the Queens coin". 4. Added by Act 6 of 1896, s. 1(2). 5. Subs. by the A. O. 1950, for "Queens coin".

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.

Whoever counterfeits, or knowingly performs any part of the process of counterfeiting 1 [Indian coin], shall be punished with 2 [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. Official footnote 1. Subs., ibid., for 'the Queens coin". 2. Subs. by Act 26 of 1955, s. 117 and the Sch., for "transportation for life" (w.e.f. 1-1-1956).

Whoever, fraudulently or dishonestly performs on any coin any operation which diminishes the weight or alters the composition of that coin, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine. Explanation .—A person who scoops out part of the coin and puts anything else into the cavity alters the composition of the coin.

Whoever performs on 1 [any Indian coin] any operation which alters the appearance of that coin, with the intention that the said coin shall pass as a coin of a different description, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine. Official footnote 1. Subs. by the A. O. 1950, for any of "the Queens coin".

Whoever counterfeits, or knowingly performs any part of the process of counterfeiting, any stamp issued by Government for the purpose of revenue shall be punished with 2 [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 .A person commits this offence who counterfeits by causing a genuine stamps of one denomination to appear like a genuine stamp of a different denomination. Official footnote 1. Subs. by Act 26 of 1955, s. 117 and the Sch., for 'transportation for life" (w.e.f. 1-1-1956).

1 [Whoever counterfeits, or knowingly performs any part of the process of counterfeiting, any currency-note or bank-note, shall be punished with 2 [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 section and of sections 489B, 3 [489C, 489D and 489E], 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. Official footnote 1. Added by Act 12 of 1899, s. 2. 2. Subs. by Act 26 of 1955, s. 117 and the Sch., for "transportation for life" (w.e.f. 1-1-1956). 3. Subs. by Act 35 of 1950, s. 3 and the Second Sch., for "489C and 489D".