IPC 252 vs BNS 252
● Retained in BNSOffering counterfeit coin known to be such when it first becomes known to the offender
Section 252 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, deals with the offence of offering or attempting to use counterfeit coin after the offender has come to know that the coin is counterfeit. The law recognizes that a person may initially accept or possess a coin without knowledge of its falsity, but once they discover the coin is fake, offering it for circulation becomes an offence.
Key aspects:
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Applies to any person who knowingly offers counterfeit coin.
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The offender must have gained knowledge of the counterfeit nature of the coin after coming into possession of it.
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Punishment: Imprisonment up to 2 years, or fine, or both.
Example: A shopkeeper receives a counterfeit coin unknowingly. Later, realizing it is fake, he still tries to pass it on to a customer. IPC 252 penalizes this dishonest act to protect the currency system and public trust.
Offering counterfeit coin known to be such when it first becomes known to the offender
Section 252 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, mirrors IPC 252. It punishes any person who, after coming to know that a coin in their possession is counterfeit, offers, attempts to use, or circulates it as genuine.
Key aspects:
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Applies to all individuals, not limited to officials.
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The focus is on the moment of knowledge—once the person knows the coin is fake, any attempt to use it is punishable.
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Punishment remains: Imprisonment up to 2 years, or fine, or both.
Example: A commuter realizes a coin is fake after receiving it as change but later uses it knowingly in a shop. BNS 252 preserves the integrity of the monetary system by discouraging circulation of counterfeit currency.
What changed?
This provision was carried over to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita with substantially the same wording — the section was renumbered from IPC IPC 252 to BNS BNS 252.