Sale of counterfeit Government stamp
Section 258 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 deals with sale of counterfeit Government stamp. Whoever sells, or offers for sale, any stamp which he knows or has reason to believe to be a counterfeit of any stamp issued by Government for the purpose of revenue, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fin 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 Repealed by section 358 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and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 sells, or offers for sale, any stamp which he knows or has reason to believe to be a counterfeit of any stamp issued by Government for the purpose of revenue, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Section 258, 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 56%
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 The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force.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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Kunwar Pal Singh vs State Nct of Delhi
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When two accused persons are apprehended in the same transaction involving offer and acceptance of counterfeit government security documents, they are jointly liable under Section 258 IPC (non-bailable offence), regardless of whether one accused was apprehended based on information from the other, and bail should not be granted at the early stage of such proceedings.
On this section: Non-bailable offence relating to counterfeiting government security documents; applied to both accused as they were party to the same transaction of offer and acceptance of counterfeit stamp papers
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Govind Singh Chauhan S/o Shri Shankar Singh Chauhan B/c Rajput vs State of Rajasthan through Pp
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When an accused has been in custody for a considerable period, the challan has been presented in court indicating completion of investigation, and the trial is likely to take substantial time, it is just and expedient to grant regular bail under Section 439 Criminal Procedure Code, subject to satisfaction of the trial court, without prejudging the merits of the case.
On this section: Causing disappearance of evidence and related offences - charges against petitioner
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Ramanuj Kumar vs The State of Bihar
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When material of a serious nature transpires against an accused person in a criminal case involving charges of cheating and forgery under sections 420, 258, 259, and 260 IPC, the court may decline to extend the privilege of anticipatory bail, particularly when the nature of the material suggests the gravity of the allegations.
On this section: Forgery - charge against 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 258
What have the courts held on Section 258 of the Indian Penal Code?
Kunwar Pal Singh vs State Nct of Delhi (11 Feb 2005) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Non-bailable offence relating to counterfeiting government security documents; applied to both accused as they were party to the same transaction of offer and acceptance of counterfeit stamp papers. Another 2 judgments on this section are set out below. They run from 2005 to 2018.
How do I find court cases under Section 258 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 258, section 258 IPC, section 258 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 Kunwar Pal Singh vs State Nct of Delhi (11 Feb 2005).
What should I read with Section 258 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 258 of the Indian Penal Code come into force?
Section 258 of the Indian Penal Code, cited as IPC 258, 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.