Indian Penal Code, 1860
Section 470
repealedForged document
A false document or electronic record made wholly or in part by forgery is designated “a forged document or electronic record”.
Why this exists
This is a definition section, not a punishment section. It gives a name -- "forged document" -- to the product of forgery, so the later sections (like 471 to 474, which punish using or possessing forged documents) can refer to it directly without repeating the whole description each time. The IPC was repealed on 1 July 2024 and replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which now governs these offences.
Common misconceptions
- Myth: A document is only "forged" if it's completely fake from start to finish.
Fact: Even a genuine document with just one part dishonestly altered counts as a forged document under this definition.