Section 247 IPC: Fraudulently or Dishonestly Altering Indian Coin
Section 247 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 punished a person who fraudulently or dishonestly performed an operation on an Indian coin that diminished its weight or altered its composition.
Section 247 IPC - Statutory Provision
Whoever fraudulently or dishonestly performs on any Indian coin any operation which diminishes the weight or alters the composition of that coin, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Historical amendment note: The Adaptation of Laws Order, 1950 substituted "any Indian coin" for the former expression "any of the Queen's coin".
Meaning of Section 247 IPC
Section 247 was the aggravated Indian-coin counterpart of Section 246. It criminalised fraudulent or dishonest physical alteration of an Indian coin where the operation either reduced the coin's weight or changed its composition.
Essential Ingredients
- The subject of the operation must be an Indian coin.
- The accused must perform an operation on that coin.
- The operation must diminish the weight of the coin or alter its composition.
- The operation must be performed fraudulently or dishonestly.
Punishment and Classification Before BNS
| Offence | Fraudulently or dishonestly diminishing the weight or altering the composition of an Indian coin |
|---|---|
| Punishment | Imprisonment of either description for a term up to 7 years and fine |
| Cognizable | Yes |
| Bail | Non-bailable |
| Triable by | Magistrate of the first class |
| Compoundable | No |
Meaning of Dishonestly
Section 24 IPC stated that a person acted "dishonestly" when the act was done with the intention of causing wrongful gain to one person or wrongful loss to another. Section 23 IPC defined wrongful gain and wrongful loss.
Meaning of Fraudulently
Section 25 IPC provided that a person did a thing "fraudulently" if the person did that thing with intent to defraud, but not otherwise. Section 247 expressly required the operation on the Indian coin to be fraudulent or dishonest.
Meaning of Indian Coin
Section 230 IPC contained the historical statutory concept of "coin" and "Indian coin" for Chapter XII. For Section 247, the Indian-coin character of the affected coin was an express element that distinguished the offence from the general provision in Section 246.
Section 246 and Section 247 IPC - Difference
Section 246 applied to any coin and prescribed imprisonment up to three years plus fine. Section 247 specifically applied to Indian coin and prescribed the more severe punishment of imprisonment up to seven years plus fine. Both provisions required the relevant operation to be performed fraudulently or dishonestly.
Section 247 and Sections 248 to 254 IPC
Section 247 concerned diminishing weight or altering composition of Indian coin. Sections 248 and 249 concerned altering the appearance of coin with the specified intention that it pass as coin of a different description. Sections 250 and 251 dealt with delivery of altered coin with prior knowledge, while Sections 252 and 253 dealt with possession of altered coin with prior knowledge. Section 254 addressed delivery as genuine where the deliverer did not know the coin was altered when first possessed.
Related IPC Provisions
Section 247 formed part of Chapter XII of the IPC concerning offences relating to coin and Government stamps. Its immediate relationship was with Section 246, the general coin provision, while Sections 248 to 254 addressed related alteration, delivery and possession offences.
Official Legal Sources
For authoritative statutory text and the procedural classification applicable immediately before BNS implementation, consult the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the First Schedule to the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 through India Code.