Indian Penal Code, 1860
IPC Chapter 18
OFFENCES RELATING TO DOCUMENTS AND TO PROPERTY MARKS
Section 464 — Making a false document
Offence
A person is said to make a false document or false electronic record:
A person is said to make a false document or false electronic record:
Section 465 — Punishment for forgery
Punishment
Whoever commits forgery shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
- Imprisonment: two years.
Section 466 — Forgery of record of Court or of public register, etc.
Offence
Whoever forges a document or electronic record, purporting to be a record or proceeding of or in a Court of Justice, or a register of birth, baptism, marriage or burial, or a register kept by a public servant as such, or a certificate or document purporting to be made by a public servant in his official capacity, or an authority to institute or defend a suit, or to take any proceedings therein, or to confess judgment, or a power of attorney,
Punishment
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
- Imprisonment: seven years.
Section 467 — Forgery of valuable security, will, etc.
Offence
Whoever forges a document which purports to be a valuable security or a will, or an authority to adopt a son, or which purports to give authority to any person to make or transfer any valuable security, or to receive the principal, interest or dividends thereon, or to receive or deliver any money, movable property, or valuable security, or any document purporting to be an acquittance or receipt acknowledging the payment of money, or an acquittance or receipt for the delivery of any movable property or valuable security,
Punishment
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.
- Imprisonment for life may be imposed.
- Imprisonment: life.
Section 468 — Forgery for purpose of cheating
Offence
Whoever commits forgery, intending that the document or electronic record forged shall be used for the purpose of cheating,
Punishment
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
- Imprisonment: seven years.
Section 469 — Forgery for purpose of harming reputation
Offence
Whoever commits forgery, intending that the document or electronic record forged shall harm the reputation of any party, or knowing that it is likely to be used for that purpose,
Punishment
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine.
- Imprisonment: three years.
Section 470 — Forged document
Offence
A false document or electronic record made wholly or in part by forgery is designated “a forged document or electronic record”.
A false document or electronic record made wholly or in part by forgery is designated “a forged document or electronic record”.
Section 471 — Using as genuine a forged document
Offence
Whoever fraudulently or dishonestly uses as genuine any document which he knows or has reason to believe to be a forged document,
Punishment
shall be punished in the same manner as if he had forged such document.
- See punishment clause in section text.
Section 472 — Making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc., with intent to commit forgery punishable under section 467
Offence
Whoever makes or counterfeits any seal, plate or other instrument for making an impression, intending that the same shall be used for the purpose of committing any forgery which would be punishable under section 467 of this Code, or, with such intent, has in his possession any such seal, plate or other instrument, knowing the same to be counterfeit, shall be punishable with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Whoever makes or counterfeits any seal, plate or other instrument for making an impression, intending that the same shall be used for the purpose of committing any forgery which would be punishable under section 467 of this Code, or, with such intent, has in his possession any such seal, plate or other instrument, knowing the same to be counterfeit, shall be punishable with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
- Imprisonment for life may be imposed.
- Imprisonment: life.
Section 473 — Making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc., with intent to commit forgery punishable otherwise
Offence
Whoever makes or counterfeits any seal, plate or other instrument for making an impression, intending that the same shall be used for the purpose of committing any forgery which would be punishable under any section of this Chapter other than section 467, or, with such intent, has in his possession any such seal, plate or other instrument, knowing the same to be counterfeit,
Punishment
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
- Imprisonment: seven years.
Section 474 — Having possession of document described in section 466 or 467, knowing it to be forged and intending to use it genuine
Offence
Whoever has in his possession any document or electronic record, knowing the same to be forged, and intending that the same shall fraudulently or dishonestly be used as genuine, shall, if the document or electronic record is one of the description mentioned in section 466 of this Code, be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine;
Whoever has in his possession any document or electronic record, knowing the same to be forged, and intending that the same shall fraudulently or dishonestly be used as genuine, shall, if the document or electronic record is one of the description mentioned in section 466 of this Code, be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine;
- Imprisonment: seven years.
Section 475 — Counterfeiting device or mark used for authenticating documents described in section 467, or possessing counterfeit marked material
Offence
Whoever counterfeits upon, or in the substance of, any material, any device or mark used for the purpose of authenticating any document described in section 467 of this Code, intending that such device or mark shall be used for the purpose of giving the appearance of authenticity to any document then forged or thereafter to be forged on such material, or who, with such intent, has in his possession any material upon or in the substance of which any such device or mark has been counterfeited,
Punishment
shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
- Imprisonment for life may be imposed.
- Imprisonment: life.
Section 476 — Counterfeiting device or mark used for authenticating documents other than those described in section 467, or possessing counterfeit marked material
Offence
Whoever counterfeits upon, or in the substance of, any material, any device or mark used for the purpose of authenticating any document or electronic record other than the documents described in section 467 of this Code, intending that such device or mark shall be used for the purpose of giving the appearance of authenticity to any document then forged or thereafter to be forged on such material, or who with such intent, has in his possession any material upon or in the substance of which any such device or mark has been counterfeited,
Punishment
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
- Imprisonment: seven years.
Section 477 — Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security
Offence
Whoever fraudulently or dishonestly, or with intent to cause damage or injury to the public or to any person, cancels, destroys or defaces, or attempts to cancel, destroy or deface, or secretes or attempts to secrete any document which is or purports to be a will, or an authority to adopt a son, or any valuable security, or commits mischief in respect of such document,
Punishment
shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
- Imprisonment for life may be imposed.
- Imprisonment: life.
Section 477A — Falsification of accounts
Offence
Whoever, being a clerk, officer or servant, or employed or acting in the capacity of a clerk, officer or servant, wilfully, and with intent to defraud, destroys, alters, mutilates or falsifies any book, electronic record, paper, writing, valuable security or account which belongs to or is in the possession of his employer, or has been received by him for or on behalf of his employer, or wilfully, and with intent to defraud, makes or abets the making of any false entry in, or omits or alters or abets the omission or alteration of any material particular from or in any such book, electronic record, paper, writing, valuable security or account,
Punishment
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with both.
- Imprisonment: seven years.
Section 478 — Trade Mark.
Offence
Repealed by the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 (43 of 1958), S. 135 and Sch.
Repealed by the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 (43 of 1958), S. 135 and Sch.
Section 479 — Property mark
Offence
A mark used for denoting that movable property belongs to a particular person is called a property mark.
A mark used for denoting that movable property belongs to a particular person is called a property mark.
Section 480 — Using a false trade mark.
Offence
Repealed by the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 (43 of 1958), S. 135 and Sch.
Repealed by the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 (43 of 1958), S. 135 and Sch.
Section 481 — Using a false property mark
Offence
Whoever marks any movable property or goods or any case, package or other receptacle containing movable property or goods, or uses any case, package or other receptacle having any mark thereon, in a manner reasonably calculated to cause it to be believed that the property or goods so marked, or any property or goods contained in any such receptacle so marked, belong to a person to whom they do not belong, is said to use a false property mark.
Whoever marks any movable property or goods or any case, package or other receptacle containing movable property or goods, or uses any case, package or other receptacle having any mark thereon, in a manner reasonably calculated to cause it to be believed that the property or goods so marked, or any property or goods contained in any such receptacle so marked, belong to a person to whom they do not belong, is said to use a false property mark.
Section 482 — Punishment for using a false property mark
Punishment
Whoever uses any false property mark shall, unless he proves that he acted without intent to defraud, be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.
- Imprisonment: one year.
Section 483 — Counterfeiting a property mark used by another
Offence
Whoever counterfeits any property mark used by any other person
Punishment
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
- Imprisonment: two years.
Section 484 — Counterfeiting a mark used by a public servant
Offence
Whoever counterfeits any property mark used by a public servant, or any mark used by a public servant to denote that any property has been manufactured by a particular person or at a particular time or place, or that the property is of a particular quality or has passed through a particular office, or that it is entitled to any exemption, or uses as genuine any such mark knowing the same to be counterfeit,
Punishment
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine.
- Imprisonment: three years.
Section 485 — Making or possession of any instrument for counterfeiting a property mark
Offence
Whoever makes or has in his possession any die, plate or other instrument for the purpose of counterfeiting a proper mark, or has in his possession a property mark for the purpose of denoting that any goods belong to a person to whom they do not belong,
Punishment
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
- Imprisonment: three years.
Section 486 — Selling goods marked with a counterfeit property mark
Offence
Whoever sells, or exposes, or has in possession for sale, any goods or things with a counterfeit property mark affixed to or impressed upon the same or to or upon any case, package or other receptacle in which such goods are contained, shall, unless he proves:
Whoever sells, or exposes, or has in possession for sale, any goods or things with a counterfeit property mark affixed to or impressed upon the same or to or upon any case, package or other receptacle in which such goods are contained, shall, unless he proves:
Section 487 — Making a false mark upon any receptacle containing goods
Offence
Whoever makes any false mark upon any case, package or other receptacle containing goods, in a manner reasonably calculated to cause any public servant or any other person to believe that such receptacle contains goods which it does not contain or that it does not contain goods which it does contain,
Or that the goods contained in such receptacle are of a nature or quality different from the real nature or quality thereof, shall, unless he proves that he acted without intent to defraud, be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
Whoever makes any false mark upon any case, package or other receptacle containing goods, in a manner reasonably calculated to cause any public servant or any other person to believe that such receptacle contains goods which it does not contain or that it does not contain goods which it does contain,
Or that the goods contained in such receptacle are of a nature or quality different from the real nature or quality thereof, shall, unless he proves that he acted without intent to defraud, be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
- Imprisonment: three years.
Section 488 — Punishment for making use of any such false mark
Punishment
Whoever makes use of any such false mark in any manner prohibited by the last foregoing section shall, unless he proves that he acted without intent to defraud, be punished as if he had committed an offence against that section.
- See punishment clause in section text.
Section 489 — Tampering with property mark with intent to cause injury
Offence
Whoever removes, destroys, defaces or adds to any property mark, intending or knowing it to be likely that he may thereby cause injury to any person,
Punishment
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.
- Imprisonment: one year.
Section 489A — Counterfeiting currency-notes or bank-notes
Offence
Whoever counterfeits, or knowingly performs any part of the process of counterfeiting, any currency-note or bank-note,
Punishment
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.
- Imprisonment for life may be imposed.
- Imprisonment: life.
Section 489B — Using as genuine, forged or counterfeit currency-notes or bank-notes
Offence
Whoever sells to, or buys or receives from, any other person, or otherwise traffics in or uses as genuine, any forged or counterfeit currency-note or bank-note, knowing or having reason to believe the same to be forged or counterfeit,
Punishment
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.
- Imprisonment for life may be imposed.
- Imprisonment: life.
Section 489C — Possession of forged or counterfeit currency-notes or bank-notes
Offence
Whoever has in his possession any forged or counterfeit currency-note or bank-note, knowing or having reason to believe the same to be forged or counterfeit and intending to use the same as genuine or that it may be used as genuine,
Punishment
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with both.
- Imprisonment: seven years.
Section 489D — Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting currency notes or bank-notes
Offence
Whoever makes, or performs any part of the process of making, or buys of sells or disposes of, or has in his possession, any machinery, instrument of 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 currency-note or bank-note,
Punishment
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.
- Imprisonment for life may be imposed.
- Imprisonment: life.
Section 489E — Making or using documents resembling currency-notes or bank-notes
Offence
Whoever makes, or causes to be made, or uses for any purpose whatsoever, or delivers to any person, any document purporting to be, or in any way resembling, or so nearly resembling as to be calculated to deceive, any currency-note or bank-note
Punishment
shall be punished with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees.
If any person, whose name appears on a document the making of which is an offence under sub-section (1), refuses, without lawful excuse, to disclose to a police-officer on being so required the name and address of the person by whom it was printed or otherwise made, he shall be punished with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees.
Where the name of any person appears on any document in respect of which any person is charged with an offence under sub-section (1) or on any other document used or distributed in connection with that document it may, until the contrary is proved, be presumed that that person caused the document to be made.
- Fine: one hundred rupees.