Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
BNS Section 181
Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes
In one line
BNS Section 181 deals with making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes and replaces IPC 233/234/235/256/257/489D.
Punishment, bail and court
| Section | Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 181 | Making, buying, selling or possessing machinery, instrument or material for forging or counterfeiting coins, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes. | Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for 10 years and fine. | Cognizable. | Non-bailable. | Court of Session. |
Source: First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. The punishment column is the Schedule’s summary; the section text below is what prescribes the punishment. Classification decides procedure (arrest, bail as of right, which court), not the result of any particular case.
Bare act text — BNS 181
181. Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes.
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.
What changed from the IPC
- IPC 233/234/235/256/257/489D → BNS 181: Six sections of IPC have been covered in this single section of BNS.
- IPC 233/234/235/256/257/489D → BNS 181: Thus, in a single stroke, the number of sections and offences has been reduced by five, and 'any coin, stamp issued by Government for the purpose of revenue' is added.
Frequently asked
What was BNS Section 181 in the IPC?
BNS Section 181 (Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes) replaces Section 233/234/235/256/257/489D of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. IPC 233/234/235/256/257/489D is now BNS 181.
What is the punishment under BNS 181?
Making, buying, selling or possessing machinery, instrument or material for forging or counterfeiting coins, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes – punishable 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. Under the First Schedule to the BNSS, 2023 it is cognizable and non-bailable, triable by court of Session.
Is BNS 181 bailable?
Non-bailable: BNS 181. Bail in a non-bailable offence is at the court's discretion; the classification decides procedure, not the outcome of a particular bail application.
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Nearby BNS sections
- BNS 176 — Illegal payments in connection with an election
- BNS 177 — Failure to keep election accounts
- BNS 178 — Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes
- BNS 179 — Using as genuine, forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank- notes
- BNS 180 — Possession of forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank- notes
- BNS 182 — Making or using documents resembling currency-notes or bank-notes
- BNS 183 — Effacing writing from substance bearing Government stamp, or removing from document a stamp used for it, with intent to cause loss to Government
- BNS 184 — Using Government stamp known to have been before used
- BNS 185 — Erasure of mark denoting that stamp has been used
- BNS 186 — Prohibition of fictitious stamps