Indian Penal Code, 1860
Section 484
repealedCounterfeiting a mark used by a public servant
Whoever counterfeits any property mark used by a public servant, or any mark used by a public servant to denote that any property has been manufactured by a particular person or at a particular time or place, or that the property is of a particular quality or has passed through a particular office, or that it is entitled to any exemption, or uses as genuine any such mark knowing the same to be counterfeit, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Why this exists
Government inspection and certification marks -- weight standards, quality seals, customs stamps -- are relied upon by the public precisely because they come from an official source. Faking these marks is treated more seriously than faking a private trader's mark, since it can affect public safety, tax revenue, and trust in government institutions themselves. The IPC was repealed on 1 July 2024 and replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which now governs these offences.