IPC §246 → BNS §178
Fraudulently or dishonestly diminishing weight or altering composition of coin
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Comparison
246. Fraudulently or dishonestly diminishing weight or altering composition of coin.—Whoever, fraudulently or dishonestly performs on any coin any operation which diminishes the weight or alters the composition of that coin, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine. Explanation.—A person who scoops out part of the coin and puts anything else into the cavity alters the composition of the coin.
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 246 (fraudulently or dishonestly diminishing weight or altering composition of coin; imprisonment up to 3 years with fine) is folded into BNS 178 Explanation (5), which explicitly defines counterfeiting coin to include diminishing weight or altering composition or appearance. The standalone offence is absorbed into the unified counterfeiting offence's definition. Punishment expands to 'imprisonment for life or up to 10 years' with mandatory fine — alignment with BNS 178.
Old position
IPC 246 is concerned with Fraudulently or dishonestly diminishing weight or altering composition of coin. Fraudulently or dishonestly diminishing weight or altering composition of coin
New position
BNS 178 preserves the framework with drafting modernisations as required by the new code. 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 246 (fraudulently or dishonestly diminishing weight or altering composition of coin; imprisonment up to 3 years with fine) is folded into BNS 178 Explanation (5), which explicitly defines counterfeiting coin to include diminishing weight or altering composition or appearance. The standalone...
Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)
IPC 246 (fraudulently or dishonestly diminishing weight or altering composition of coin; imprisonment up to 3 years with fine) is folded into BNS 178 Explanation (5), which explicitly defines counterfeiting coin to include diminishing weight or altering composition or appearance. The standalone offence is absorbed into the unified counterfeiting offence's definition. Punishment expands to 'imprisonment for life or up to 10 years' with mandatory fine — alignment with BNS 178.
Transitional note (repeal & savings)
For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 246 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 substantively_same — 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 §246 → BNS §178 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-12, https://newlaws.in/ipc/246.
Compiled using AI-assisted tools · Source-linked · Last updated 2026-05-01
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