Section 480 IPC: Using a false trade mark

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 480 IPC at a Glance

Section 480 IPC deals with using a false trade mark. It has no direct equivalent in the BNS.

Punishment

None. Section 480 IPC has stood repealed since 25 November 1959.

Section 480 IPC Bare Act Text

480. Using a false trade mark

] Rep. by the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 (43 of 1958), s. 135 and Sch. (w.e.f. 25-11-1959).

Source: Section 480, Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 480 IPC in Simple Words

Section 480 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), titled Using a false trade mark, was repealed by section 135 of the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958, read with its Schedule, with effect from 25 November 1959.

Being repealed, the section now carries no offence or punishment.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 contains no corresponding section, and offences concerning trade marks are governed by the Trade Marks Act, 1999.

Punishment Under Section 480 IPC

Imprisonment

None. Section 480 IPC has stood repealed since 25 November 1959.

Fine

None.

Section 480 IPC has stood repealed since 25 November 1959 and carries no offence or punishment.

Example of Section 480 IPC

In 2019, in Indore, Mahesh manufactured bottled hair oil at his small factory and pasted labels on the bottles imitating the registered trade mark of a famous cosmetics company owned by Sunita. Customers at local bazaars bought the bottles believing them to be Sunita's genuine product. Sunita filed a police complaint asking for Mahesh to be prosecuted for using a false trade mark under the Indian Penal Code. Because the provision on using a false trade mark had been repealed with effect from 25 November 1959, no offence existed and Mahesh could not be prosecuted under Section 480 IPC.

When Section 480 IPC Does Not Apply

  • Section 480 IPC does not apply to any act committed on or after 25 November 1959 because the provision was repealed from that date.
  • Section 480 IPC does not apply to a person who falsely applies a trade mark to goods today, as the section is no longer in force.
  • Section 480 IPC does not apply to disputes over the unauthorized use of a trade mark in modern commerce because the offence has ceased to exist in the Indian Penal Code.

Section 480 IPC in the BNS

Repealed - No equivalent in BNS

Repealed. Section 480 IPC was repealed by the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 contains no equivalent section for false trade marks.

FAQs on Section 480 IPC

Is Section 480 IPC still in force?▼

No. Section 480 IPC was repealed by section 135 of the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958, read with its Schedule, with effect from 25 November 1959.

Does the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita have a section corresponding to Section 480 IPC?▼

No. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita does not define or penalise offences relating to trade marks.

Under Section 480 IPC, are the property mark sections of the IPC also repealed?▼

No. Section 481 to Section 489 IPC on property marks remained in force, and the 1958 Act amended them to remove their references to trade marks.

Under Section 480 IPC, which law punishes using a false trade mark now?▼

The Trade Marks Act, 1999. Section 102 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999 defines falsifying and falsely applying a trade mark, and Section 103 and Section 104 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999 penalise those acts.

Is Section 480 IPC bailable or cognizable?▼

Neither label applies. Section 480 IPC is repealed and has no entry in the First Schedule to the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.

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Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified advocate for legal advice.

Sources: Bare Act Text, Indian Penal Code, 1860 · Last updated: 16 Oct 2026 ·