Possession of instrument or material for the purpose of using the same for counterfeiting coin
Section 235 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 deals with possession of instrument or material for the purpose of using the same for counterfeiting coin. Whoever is in possession of any instrument or material, for the purpose of using the same for counterfeiting coin, or knowing or having reason to believe that the same is intended to be used for that purpose, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to th 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 Repealed by section 358 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and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 is in possession of any instrument or material, for the purpose of using the same for counterfeiting coin, or knowing or having reason to believe that the same is intended to be used for that purpose, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine;
if Indian coin.
if Indian coin.--and if the coin to be counterfeited is [Indian coin], shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Section 235, The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Act 45 of 1860).
Now in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
BNS 181 Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes Distant match 54%
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 The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force.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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Om Parakash Singh vs State of N.c.t. of Delhi
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
While upholding a conviction for counterfeiting currency based on presence at the crime scene and ownership of premises where counterfeiting machinery is found, the appellate court may exercise discretionary power to reduce the substantive sentence to the period already undergone in custody when no other direct evidence of active participation exists, provided the conviction itself is legally sustainable on the evidence.
On this section: Offense of counterfeiting currency; appellant convicted under this section for involvement in manufacturing fake five-rupee coins
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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 tampering with evidence; cited as one of the charges against the petitioner
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 235
What have the courts held on Section 235 of the Indian Penal Code?
Om Parakash Singh vs State of N.c.t. of Delhi (09 Aug 2017) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Offense of counterfeiting currency; appellant convicted under this section for involvement in manufacturing fake five-rupee coins. Another 1 judgment on this section is set out below. They run from 2017 to 2019.
How do I find court cases under Section 235 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 235, section 235 IPC, section 235 of the Indian Penal Code. People searching for it also type ipc 235 1 and ipc 235 2. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 2 reported judgments on this section are set out on this page, beginning with Om Parakash Singh vs State of N.c.t. of Delhi (09 Aug 2017).
What should I read with Section 235 of the Indian Penal Code, and has it changed?
For anything done on or after 1 July 2024 the provision to read is BNS 181 (Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes), which replaced it; conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under this section.
When did Section 235 of the Indian Penal Code come into force?
Section 235 of the Indian Penal Code, cited as IPC 235, 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.