IPC §230 → BNS §178
“Coin” defined. Indian coin
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Comparison
230. “Coin” defined.—2[Coin is metal used for the time being as money, and stamped and issued by the authority of some State or Sovereign Power in order to be so used.] 3[Indian coin.—Indian coin is metal stamped and issued by the authority of the Government of India in order to be used as money; and metal which has been so stamped and issued shall continue to be Indian coin for the purposes of this Chapter, notwithstanding that it may have ceased to be used as money.] Illustrations (a) Cowries are not coin. (b) Lumps of unstamped copper, though used as money, are not coin. (c) Medals are not coin, inasmuch as they are not intended to be used as money. (d) The coin denominated as the Company's rupee is 4[Indian coin]. 5[(e) The “Farukhabad rupee”, which was formerly used as money under the authority of the Government of India, is 6[Indian coin] although it is no longer so used.]
Whoever counterfeits, or knowingly performs any part of the process of counterfeiting, any coin, stamp issued by Government for the purpose of revenue, currency-note or bank-note, 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.
What changedAI-inferred
IPC 230 (definitions of 'coin' and 'Indian coin') is preserved as BNS 178 Explanation (2) with a substantive structural change: the IPC self-contained definition is replaced by a reference to section 2 of the Coinage Act, 2011, supplemented by the residual 'metal stamped/issued by any State or Sovereign Power' clause. The 'Indian coin' / 'coin' distinction that drove the parallel-offence structure of IPC Chapter XII (IPC 232/234/238/240/243/247/249/251/253) collapses entirely — every offence in BNS Chapter X applies uniformly to all coin without geographic distinction.
Old position
IPC 230 is concerned with “Coin” defined. Indian coin. “Coin” defined
New position
BNS 178 modifies the framework. Topic: Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes. Whoever counterfeits, or knowingly performs any part of the process of counterfeiting, any coin, stamp issued by Government for the purpose of revenue, currency-note or bank-note, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with
IPC 230 (definitions of 'coin' and 'Indian coin') is preserved as BNS 178 Explanation (2) with a substantive structural change: the IPC self-contained definition is replaced by a reference to section 2 of the Coinage Act, 2011, supplemented by the residual 'metal stamped/issued by any State or...
Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)
BNS 178 is a combined definition-plus-offence section that consolidates IPC 230 (definition of 'coin' and 'Indian coin') with IPC 231/232's counterfeiting offence and expands the counterfeiting offence to expressly cover currency-notes and bank-notes alongside coins and Government revenue stamps. The punishment is imprisonment for life or imprisonment up to ten years, plus fine. The IPC 230 definition is consolidated into BNS 178's opening or into BNS 2's general definitions.
Transitional note (repeal & savings)
For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 230 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 178 applies. The transition is governed by the repeal-and-savings clause in the new code (BNS 358 / BNSS 531 / BSA 170 as the case may be); pending proceedings under the old code carry forward unaffected.
Frequently asked
BNS 178 (Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes). The relationship is classified as modified — see the change-note above for the textual delta.
Sources
- India Code — Indian Penal Code, 1860
- Gazette of India — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
Cite this page
Newlaws.in, IPC §230 → BNS §178 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-12, https://newlaws.in/ipc/230.
Compiled using AI-assisted tools · Source-linked · Last updated 2026-05-01
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