Counterfeiting Currency and Bank Notes Under the BNS (Section 178): IPC 489A Mapping (2026)
What counterfeiting of currency and bank notes means under Section 178 of the BNS, the old IPC section it replaces, the punishment, and where the related offences now sit. Last verified October 2026.
Explainer · Criminal Law · BNS
Counterfeiting of currency notes or bank notes is an offence under Section 178 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), the code that replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on 1 July 2024. Section 178 carries forward Section 489A of the IPC. It is punishable with imprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either description up to ten years, and a fine. This explainer sets out what the section covers, the exact old-to-new mapping, the punishment and classification, and where the related currency offences now sit. Last verified October 2026.
- What it is: counterfeiting currency notes or bank notes, Section 178 BNS (old Section 489A IPC).
- Punishment: imprisonment for life, or up to 10 years, and a fine.
- Classification: cognizable and non-bailable, triable by the Court of Session.
- Related offences: old IPC 489B to 489E are carried into the sections following 178 in the same chapter.
01What Section 178 of the BNS covers
Section 178 of the BNS punishes a person who counterfeits, or knowingly performs any part of the process of counterfeiting, a currency note or bank note. The core ingredients are two: an act of counterfeiting, or a knowing part in the process, and the subject being a currency note or bank note.
The section sits in the BNS chapter on offences relating to coin, currency notes, bank notes and government stamps. For this purpose, the expression "bank note" is defined broadly to include a promissory note or engagement for payment of money to the bearer on demand, issued by a person carrying on the business of banking anywhere in the world, or by or under the authority of a State or sovereign power, and intended to be used as equivalent to, or as a substitute for, money.
Related offences sit nearby
Counterfeiting is one of a family of currency offences. Making or possessing instruments for counterfeiting, using or trafficking in forged notes, and similar conduct are dealt with in the sections that follow Section 178 in the same chapter.
02The old IPC to new BNS mapping
The old IPC dealt with currency offences in Sections 489A to 489E. Section 178 of the BNS carries forward the lead offence of counterfeiting, which was Section 489A.
| Offence | Old IPC section | New BNS section |
|---|---|---|
| Counterfeiting currency notes or bank notes | Section 489A IPC | Section 178 BNS |
| Using, trafficking in, or possessing forged notes, and making or possessing instruments for counterfeiting | Sections 489B to 489E IPC | The sections following 178 in the same BNS chapter |
So a person searching for "section 489a in bns" is looking for Section 178 of the BNS. The companion offences that were Sections 489B to 489E of the IPC are carried into the sections that follow Section 178.
03Punishment and classification
The punishment under Section 178 of the BNS is imprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either description for a term up to ten years, and a fine. This is a serious economic offence, and the maximum of life imprisonment reflects that.
On classification, the offence is cognizable and non-bailable, and is triable by the Court of Session. Counterfeiting cases are often investigated with the help of specialised agencies, because fake currency can have a cross-border dimension.
04What changed from the old law
For counterfeiting itself, the change is mainly renumbering. The old Section 489A of the IPC becomes Section 178 of the BNS, with the offence and the punishment, including life imprisonment, carried across. The family of related currency offences moves together into the same chapter of the new code.
Because the numbering of the companion offences changed, it is worth confirming the exact new section for conduct like using or possessing forged notes before drafting a charge. For the wider picture, see how the BNS changed the IPC and the IPC to BNS section converter.
05Where Claw fits
Claw is an all-in-one legaltech platform for Indian advocates, law firms, and corporate legal teams, combining AI-based case search, an AI legal assistant (Legal GPT), case management, and compliance automation across all Indian courts and tribunals.
Counterfeiting cases under Section 178 of the BNS are Sessions trials and can run for years, sometimes with agency involvement. Claw lets you search and track cases, orders and judgments by section, party or advocate across 9,102 courts, benches and forums, with 30 crore+ judgments and results in under 5 seconds, so you can see how the section is being read and follow a live matter through bail, charge and trial. Claw does not use customer case documents to train AI models. Create a FREE Claw account to search and track cases under this section by party or advocate name. For the full picture, see case search across Indian courts.
06Sources and further reading
- Ministry of Home Affairs (new criminal laws): mha.gov.in
- India Code (official bare text of the BNS): indiacode.nic.in
- Text of BNS Section 178: devgan.in
- Claw: clawlaw.in
This explainer is general information, not legal advice. Always read the section as it stands on the day you act, and take advice from counsel on your facts.
07Frequently asked questions
What is Section 178 of the BNS?
Section 178 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 punishes counterfeiting, or knowingly performing any part of the process of counterfeiting, a currency note or bank note. It carries forward Section 489A of the IPC. The punishment is imprisonment for life, or up to ten years, and a fine.
Which IPC section is now BNS Section 178?
The old Section 489A of the Indian Penal Code (counterfeiting currency notes or bank notes) is now Section 178 of the BNS. The related offences that were Sections 489B to 489E of the IPC are carried into the sections that follow Section 178 in the same chapter.
What is the punishment for counterfeiting currency under the BNS?
Under Section 178, the punishment is imprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either description up to ten years, and a fine. This reflects the seriousness of the offence as an economic crime.
Is counterfeiting currency a bailable offence under the BNS?
No. The offence under Section 178 is cognizable and non-bailable, and is triable by the Court of Session. You should confirm the current classification against the First Schedule of the BNSS and take advice on your facts.
Did the counterfeiting law change under the BNS?
For counterfeiting itself, the change is mainly renumbering, with the offence and the life-imprisonment maximum carried across from Section 489A of the IPC. The companion currency offences moved into the sections that follow Section 178, so confirm the exact new number before drafting a charge.
Can I track a counterfeiting case in Claw?
Yes. Claw tracks matters across 9,102 courts and forums with automatic updates, cause lists, and WhatsApp and email alerts, and lets you search cases, orders and judgments by section, party or advocate. It tracks the case but does not file it or give legal advice.