Forged document
Section 470 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 deals with forged document. A false document made wholly or in part by forgery is designated "a forged document". 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 Repealed by section 358 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and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.
A false document made wholly or in part by forgery is designated "a forged document".
Section 470, The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Act 45 of 1860).
Now in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
BNS 340 Forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine Close, with changes 81%
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 The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force.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.
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
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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Murlidhar Martand Patil vs The State of Maharashtra
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
Once investigation is completed and chargesheet is filed, custodial interrogation is no longer necessary, and bail can be granted to an accused in a criminal misappropriation case if the circumstances indicate that the accused poses no further risk to the complainant or witnesses, particularly where the accused has been dismissed from employment and co-accused have been granted bail.
On this section: Forgery of stamp or seal - applicable to forged official documents
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Parveen @ Kaley vs The State
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When credible contemporaneous evidence (such as newspaper reports) corroborates allegations of illegal arrest and detention prior to FIR registration, and the accused have been in judicial custody for an extended period, bail should be granted despite the seriousness of charges, subject to appropriate bail conditions including personal bond and surety.
On this section: Forged document or electronic record
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Arvind Agrawal vs State of Rajasthan through P P
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When a person is sought to be arrested after a considerable delay (five years) following FIR registration, and co-accused have already been granted bail, and the person is willing to cooperate with investigation, anticipatory bail should be granted under Section 438 Criminal Procedure Code, subject to conditions ensuring investigation cooperation and prevention of evidence tampering.
On this section: Forged document or electronic record; alleged offence in the FIR
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 470
What have the courts held on Section 470 of the Indian Penal Code?
Murlidhar Martand Patil vs The State of Maharashtra (04 Feb 2010) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Forgery of stamp or seal - applicable to forged official documents. Another 2 judgments on this section are set out below. They run from 2007 to 2017.
How do I find court cases under Section 470 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 470, section 470 IPC, section 470 of the Indian Penal Code. People searching for it also type ipc 470 punishment and ipc 470 in bns. 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 Murlidhar Martand Patil vs The State of Maharashtra (04 Feb 2010).
What should I read with Section 470 of the Indian Penal Code, and has it changed?
1 other provision in this corpus refers back to it. For anything done on or after 1 July 2024 the provision to read is BNS 340 (Forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine), which replaced it; conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under this section.
When did Section 470 of the Indian Penal Code come into force?
Section 470 of the Indian Penal Code, cited as IPC 470, 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.