This section is about creating fake wills or documents.

It actually punishes the opposite -- destroying, damaging, or hiding a genuine document -- not making a false one.

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 477

repealed

Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security

Whoever fraudulently or dishonestly, or with intent to cause damage or injury to the public or to any person, cancels, destroys or defaces, or attempts to cancel, destroy or deface, or secretes or attempts to secrete any document which is or purports to be a will, or an authority to adopt a son, or any valuable security, or commits mischief in respect of such document, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.§

Why this exists

Forgery is about creating fake documents, but this section addresses the opposite danger -- destroying or hiding real ones. A genuine will or valuable security that is torn up, burned, or hidden away can cause exactly the same kind of harm as a forged one, especially in inheritance disputes, so the law treats both extremes seriously. The IPC was repealed on 1 July 2024 and replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which now governs these offences.

Common misconceptions

Myth: This section is about creating fake wills or documents.
Fact: It actually punishes the opposite -- destroying, damaging, or hiding a genuine document -- not making a false one.