Whoever has in his possession any stamp which he knows to be a counterfeit of any stamp issued by Government for the purpose of revenue, intending to use, or dispose of the same as a genuine stamp, or in order that it may be used as a genuine stamp, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
IPC Section 259: Simplified Explanation
IPC Section 259 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) addresses the offence of possessing counterfeit coins with the knowledge that they are counterfeit at the time of possession. This section aims to punish individuals who, knowing a coin to be counterfeit, decide to keep it, which implies an intention to use it fraudulently or facilitate its circulation.
Is IPC Section 259 bailable?
No, IPC Section 259 is a non-bailable offence. This means that the accused does not have an automatic right to bail and must apply for bail before a magistrate or judge, who will then decide whether or not to grant bail based on the specifics of the case.
IPC Section 259 Punishment
The punishment for IPC Section 259 is imprisonment for either description for a term that may extend to seven years and a fine. This indicates the seriousness of the offence, reflecting the potential harm that possessing counterfeit coins with intent to use or circulate them can cause to the economy and public trust.
Example of IPC Section 259
Consider a scenario where a person named Sunil is aware that some coins in his possession are counterfeit. Despite knowing their counterfeit nature, Sunil decides to keep the coins and plans to use them at a local market. Before he can do so, a tip-off leads the police to raid his residence, where they find the counterfeit coins. During the investigation, it was revealed that Sunil knew the coins were counterfeit when he came into possession of them. In this case, Sunil can be prosecuted under IPC Section 259 for having possession of counterfeit coins with the knowledge that they are counterfeit.
