IPC 467→BNS 338

IPC 467 to BNS 338: Forgery of valuable security, will, etc.

Section 467 IPC (1860) replaced by Section 338 BNS (2023)

View IPC Section 467 →View BNS Section 338 →

IPC 467 to BNS 338 at a Glance

Section 467 IPC (Forgery of valuable security, will, etc) is now Section 338 BNS, in force from 1 July 2024. Under the BNS it is non-bailable. What changed is set out below.

What Changed From IPC 467 to BNS 338?

Section 467 IPC corresponds to Section 338 BNS. The heading, statutory wording and prescribed punishments of imprisonment for life or up to ten years with liability to fine remain unchanged in substance.

IPC 467 vs BNS 338: Comparison Table

AspectIPC 1860 (repealed)BNS 2023 (in force)
Section467338
OffenceForgery of valuable security, will, etc.Same
PunishmentImprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years.Same
FineThe offender is also liable to fine. The statute does not prescribe a mandatory fine or fix a maximum amount.Same
BailNon-BailableSame
CompoundableNon-CompoundableSame
Triable ByMagistrate of the first classSame

IPC 467 and BNS 338: Bare Act Text Side by Side

IPC 1860 (repealed)

Section 467, IPC 1860

467. Forgery of valuable security, will, etc.—Whoever forges a document which purports to be a valuable security or a will, or an authority to adopt a son, or which purports to give authority to any person to make or transfer any valuable security, or to receive the principal, interest or dividends thereon, or to receive or deliver any money, movable property, or valuable security, or any document purporting to be an acquittance or receipt acknowledging the payment of money, or an acquittance or receipt for the delivery of any movable property or valuable security, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
BNS 2023 (in force)

Section 338, BNS 2023

Whoever forges a document which purports to be a valuable security or a will, or an authority to adopt a son, or which purports to give authority to any person to make or transfer any valuable security, or to receive the principal, interest or dividends thereon, or to receive or deliver any money, movable property, or valuable security, or any document purporting to be an acquittance or receipt acknowledging the payment of money, or an acquittance or receipt for the delivery of any movable property or valuable security, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Ingredients: IPC 467 vs BNS 338

Under IPC 467
  1. The accused committed forgery as defined in Section 463 IPC by making a false document or electronic record under Section 464 IPC
  2. The forged document purported to be a valuable security, a will, an authority to adopt a son, an authority to make or transfer a valuable security, an authority to receive principal, interest, dividends, money or movable property, or an acquittance or receipt for the payment of money or the delivery of any movable property or valuable security
Under BNS 338
  1. Committing forgery of a document under Section 335 BNS and Section 336(1) BNS
  2. The forged document purports to be a valuable security, a will, an authority to adopt a son, an authority to make or transfer a valuable security or receive money, movable property or valuable security, or an acquittance or receipt for the payment of money or the delivery of any movable property or valuable security

What IPC 467 to BNS 338 Means for Pending Cases

For Section 467 IPC (now Section 338 BNS): under Section 338 BNS, the offence and penalties for forging a valuable security or will remain identical to Section 467 IPC. A charge for an act done after the BNS came into force cites Section 338 BNS and is framed on the same elements as before.

FAQs: IPC 467 to BNS 338

What changed in the offence of forgery of valuable security when Section 467 IPC became Section 338 BNS?▼

Only the section number. Section 338 BNS reproduces the wording of Section 467 IPC, retaining the penalties of imprisonment for life or imprisonment of either description for up to ten years, along with liability to fine.

Where does Section 467 IPC sit in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?▼

It sits in Section 338 BNS, in Chapter XVIII, Of Offences Relating to Documents and to Property Marks.

Does Section 467 IPC or Section 338 BNS apply to an act done before 1 July 2024?▼

Section 467 IPC. Section 358 BNS repealed the IPC from 1 July 2024 but saves any liability already incurred under it, so an act done before that date is still dealt with under Section 467 IPC. Section 338 BNS governs acts done on or after 1 July 2024.

Disclaimer: This comparison is for informational purposes only. The new criminal laws came into effect on 1 July 2024. Consult a qualified advocate for legal advice.

Sources: Indian Penal Code, 1860 · Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Last updated: 16 Oct 2026 ·