Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
Section 187
Person employed in mint causing coin to be of different weight or composition from that
Whoever, being employed in any mint lawfully established in India, does any act, or omits what he is legally bound to do, with the intention of causing any coin issued from that mint to be of
a different weight or composition from the weight or composition fixed by law, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Why this exists
Coins have value because the government guarantees their exact weight and metal content. If mint insiders secretly altered these specifications, it would let them profit by skimming metal or debasing currency, undermining public trust in money itself. This provision, inherited from the British-era Indian Penal Code (Section 246) and carried into the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, targets this specific insider threat rather than outside counterfeiters, who are covered by separate provisions.
Common misconceptions
- Myth: This law only applies to outsiders who fake coins.
Fact: This section specifically targets mint employees — insiders — who misuse their position to alter coin weight or composition, which is different from general counterfeiting laws that apply to outsiders. - Myth: An honest mistake by a mint worker would be punished under this law.
Fact: The law requires 'intention' to cause the coin to differ from the legal standard, so accidental errors without intent would not fall under this section (simplified).