IPC Section 250: Delivery of Altered Coin and Current BNS Law
Section 250 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 punished fraudulent delivery, or attempts to induce acceptance, of a coin known to have been unlawfully altered. For conduct on or after 1 July 2024, the relevant provisions are found principally in Sections 178 and 179 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
What did IPC Section 250 provide?
Section 250 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 was titled Delivery of coin, possessed with knowledge that it is altered. It addressed a person who acquired a coin already subjected to an offence under IPC Section 246 (fraudulent or dishonest reduction of weight or alteration of composition) or IPC Section 248 (altering appearance to pass as another description of coin).
The provision applied where the person knew of that alteration when obtaining possession and thereafter, fraudulently or intending that fraud may occur, delivered the coin to someone else or attempted to induce another person to accept it.
Former punishment: imprisonment of either description for up to five years, and liability to a fine.
The former provision covered attempted inducement to receive the coin as well as actual delivery; the statutory knowledge-at-acquisition requirement was important.
Essential ingredients under the former IPC Section 250
- Altered coin: the coin had been subjected to the kind of alteration described in IPC Section 246 or 248.
- Possession: the accused possessed that coin.
- Knowledge when possession began: the accused knew, at the time of obtaining it, that the relevant alteration had been committed.
- Fraudulent purpose: delivery or attempted inducement was fraudulent or intended to facilitate fraud.
- Prohibited act: the accused delivered the coin to another person or attempted to induce someone to receive it.
These are elements of the former provision, not an automatic checklist for the current BNS offence.
Current law from 1 July 2024: BNS Sections 178, 179 and 180
BNS Section 178: Counterfeiting coin and other protected items
Section 178 penalises counterfeiting, or knowingly participating in the process of counterfeiting, coin, Government revenue stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes. Explanation (4) addresses causing a genuine coin to appear to be a different coin with deceptive intent or knowledge of likely deception. Explanation (5) expressly includes diminishing a coin's weight, changing its composition or altering its appearance within the meaning of counterfeiting coin.
Punishment under Section 178: imprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either description for up to ten years, and fine.
BNS Section 179: Delivering or using counterfeit coin as genuine
Section 179 covers importing, exporting, selling, delivering, buying, receiving, otherwise trafficking in, or using as genuine a forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-note or bank-note, knowing or having reason to believe that it is forged or counterfeit. This is the principal current provision relevant to delivery of an altered coin that qualifies as counterfeit under the BNS.
Punishment under Section 179: imprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either description for up to ten years, and fine. The BNS provision does not repeat the old IPC Section 250 wording about knowledge specifically at the moment possession was acquired or attempted inducement to receive the coin.
BNS Section 180: Possession of counterfeit coin
Section 180 separately addresses possession of a forged or counterfeit coin with knowledge or reason to believe it is counterfeit, together with an intention to use it as genuine or allow its use as genuine. Punishment: imprisonment of either description for up to seven years, or fine, or both. Its statutory explanation provides that possession established to be from a lawful source does not constitute an offence under that section.
Definition of coin: BNS Section 178, Explanation (2), refers to the meaning in Section 2 of the Coinage Act, 2011 and also includes specified stamped metal issued as money by or under the authority of a State or Sovereign Power.
IPC Section 250 and the current BNS: comparison
| Point | Former IPC Section 250 | Current BNS provisions |
|---|---|---|
| Principal conduct | Fraudulent delivery or attempted inducement to accept a coin known to have been altered | Section 179: dealings in or use as genuine of forged or counterfeit coin, among other protected items |
| Knowledge | Knowledge of alteration when possession began | Section 179: knowledge or reason to believe the item is forged or counterfeit |
| Maximum imprisonment | Five years and fine | Section 179: life imprisonment or up to ten years and fine |
| Related provisions | IPC Sections 246 and 248 | BNS Section 178 (counterfeiting); Section 180 (possession with requisite intent) |
| Period | Generally applies to offences committed before 1 July 2024, subject to saving and transition rules | Applies to offences committed from 1 July 2024 |
This comparison describes related subject matter, not an assertion that every act under the old IPC Section 250 necessarily satisfies BNS Section 179.
Practical illustration
A person receives a coin, knows it has been deliberately altered to imitate a more valuable coin, and knowingly passes it to a shopkeeper as genuine. Before 1 July 2024, IPC Section 250 could be relevant if its specific elements were proved. For a comparable act committed after that date, investigators would assess whether the altered coin is counterfeit within BNS Section 178 and whether the person's conduct and knowledge satisfy BNS Section 179.
Frequently asked questions
Is IPC Section 250 still in force?
The IPC was repealed with effect from 1 July 2024 by the BNS, subject to applicable saving provisions for earlier conduct and proceedings. IPC Section 250 remains relevant when considering offences committed under the former law.
Which BNS section concerns delivery of counterfeit coin?
BNS Section 179 covers delivery and other dealings in forged or counterfeit coin with the specified knowledge or reason to believe, as well as the other items identified in the section.
Does merely holding an altered coin prove an offence?
No. The statutory elements, including the nature of the coin, knowledge and any required intention, must be established. BNS Section 180 also contains an explanation concerning possession from a lawful source.
Official legislation and further reading
- National Crime Records Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Chapter X
- India Code: Official legislative database (BNS, IPC and Coinage Act)
- Government of India: BNS Section 178 text and definitions
- Indian Penal Code: Sections and historical reference
Legal information only. The applicable law and charges depend on the date and facts of the alleged conduct.