Indian Penal Code, 1860
Section 258
repealedSale of counterfeit Government stamp
Whoever sells, or offers for sale, any stamp which he knows or has reason to believe to be a counterfeit of any stamp issued by Government for the purpose of revenue, 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
This targets the point of sale, where fake stamps actually reach the public. Even a seller who did not counterfeit the stamp themselves is punished if they knew, or had reason to suspect, it was fake, because selling counterfeit stamps to unsuspecting buyers is what causes real harm to both the government's revenue and to buyers who unknowingly use invalid documents. Replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, effective 1 July 2024.