BNS Section 178
What is the punishment for counterfeiting a coin, stamp, currency‑note or bank‑note in India?
Short answer
The offence is punishable by life imprisonment or up to ten years’ imprisonment and a fine.
In detail
Under Section 178 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, anyone who makes or helps make a fake coin, government revenue stamp, currency note or bank note can be sentenced to life imprisonment, or to a term of up to ten years, and must also pay a fine. The law treats a ‘bank‑note’ as any written promise to pay money on demand that is issued by a bank or by a government authority and is used like money. A ‘coin’ means any metal piece that the state stamps and uses as money. The offence includes changing a genuine stamp so it looks like a different value, altering a genuine coin so it appears to be another coin, or reducing its weight, changing its metal content or its appearance with the intention to deceive. The provision applies even if a person only knows about the counterfeiting process and takes part in it, and the fine is imposed in addition to the jail term.
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People also ask
- What constitutes counterfeiting a government stamp under the Act?
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- Are the penalties the same for coins, stamps, and bank‑notes?
Not legal advice. This is general legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and every case turns on its own facts — speak to a lawyer about your situation.