Adulteration of drugs
Section 274 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 deals with adulteration of drugs. Whoever adulterates any drug or medical preparation in such a manner as to lessen the efficacy or change the operation of such drug or medical preparation, or to make it noxious, intending that it shall be sold or used for, or knowing it to be likely that it will be sold or used for, any medicinal p 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 Repealed by section 358 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and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 adulterates any drug or medical preparation in such a manner as to lessen the efficacy or
change the operation of such drug or medical preparation, or to make it noxious, intending that it shall be sold or used for, or knowing it to be likely that it will be sold or used for, any medicinal purpose, as it had not undergone such adulteration, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.
Section 274, The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Act 45 of 1860).
Now in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
BNS 276 Adulteration of drugs Text carried over almost unchanged 98%
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 The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force.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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Rakesh Kumar vs State of Bihar& ANR.
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When an Inspector validly lodges an FIR under Section 32(1)(a) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act for offences including sale of expired drugs and violation of drug regulations, and the police conduct proper investigation and submit a charge-sheet, the Magistrate's cognizance order based on prima facie case is legally valid and cannot be quashed under Section 482 CrPC merely because the petitioner claims procedural defects or administrative violations in the parallel licence cancellation proceedings.
On this section: Offence of adulteration of drugs
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 274
What have the courts held on Section 274 of the Indian Penal Code?
Rakesh Kumar vs State of Bihar& ANR. (27 Sep 2018) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Offence of adulteration of drugs.
How do I find court cases under Section 274 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 274, section 274 IPC, section 274 of the Indian Penal Code. People searching for it also type ipc 274 in bns and ipc 274 275. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with Rakesh Kumar vs State of Bihar& ANR. (27 Sep 2018).
What should I read with Section 274 of the Indian Penal Code, and has it changed?
For anything done on or after 1 July 2024 the provision to read is BNS 276 (Adulteration of drugs), which replaced it; conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under this section.
When did Section 274 of the Indian Penal Code come into force?
Section 274 of the Indian Penal Code, cited as IPC 274, 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.