Counterfeiting Indian coin
Section 232 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 deals with counterfeiting Indian coin. Whoever counterfeits, or knowingly performs any part of the process of counterfeiting [Indian coin], 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. The Act came into force on 01 Jan 1862. Repealed by section 358 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under it.
Whoever counterfeits, or knowingly performs any part of the process of counterfeiting [Indian coin], 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.
Section 232, The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Act 45 of 1860).
Now in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
BNS 178 Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes Close, with changes 70%
Measured by comparing the text of the two provisions, not taken from an official correspondence table — there is no machine-readable one. See both texts side by side before relying on it.
Both regimes are live. The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force. We never redirect one to the other.
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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Saroj vs State& ORS.
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
A life-term convict with prior absconding history is eligible for regular parole if he has served a substantial portion of his sentence and has demonstrated willingness to return to state custody through compliance with interim bail or other court orders, provided adequate sureties and personal bonds are furnished to ensure his return.
On this section: Offence for which prisoner was facing trial while absconded from jail custody
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Swikar Luthra @ Sonu vs State
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
In cases involving serious criminal allegations and where the accused has a history of being a Proclaimed Offender with multiple prior criminal cases registered against him, bail should be denied as the gravity of allegations and the accused's criminal antecedents demonstrate a risk to the administration of justice and the likelihood of non-appearance.
On this section: Offence related to fabricating false evidence; cited as one of the charges against the petitioner
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Shiv Prakash vs State
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
In cases where an accused is implicated solely on the basis of statements made by the main accused, without any recovery of incriminating material from the accused, and where custodial interrogation is not demonstrably necessary, anticipatory bail may be granted under Section 438 Criminal Procedure Code, subject to stringent conditions ensuring the accused's availability for interrogation and preventing interference with the investigation.
On this section: Sections relating to counterfeiting currency and manufacturing fake coins; these are the substantive offences for which the FIR was registered against the petitioner and main accused
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Questions about Section 232
What have the courts held on Section 232 of the Indian Penal Code?
Saroj vs State& ORS. (03 Sep 2015) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Offence for which prisoner was facing trial while absconded from jail custody. Another 2 judgments on this section are set out below. They run from 2015 to 2019.
How do I find court cases under Section 232 of the Indian Penal Code?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: IPC 232, section 232 IPC, section 232 of the Indian Penal Code. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 3 reported judgments on this section are set out on this page, beginning with Saroj vs State& ORS. (03 Sep 2015).
What should I read with Section 232 of the Indian Penal Code, and has it changed?
For anything done on or after 1 July 2024 the provision to read is BNS 178 (Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes), which replaced it; conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under this section.
When did Section 232 of the Indian Penal Code come into force?
Section 232 of the Indian Penal Code, cited as IPC 232, came into force on 01 Jan 1862, having been enacted on 06 Oct 1860. It is no longer in force.
Other sections of this Act
- 499. Defamation1512 words
- 464. Making a false document1223 words
- 300. Murder1172 words
- 378. Theft980 words
- 108. Abettor745 words
- 403. Dishonest misappropriation of property727 words
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Recovered from the consolidated text published by India Code (item 7b7d4fe6-206b-4e33-81f1-b98b018acaf6). This page is not a substitute for legal advice.