Whoever, fraudulently or with intent to cause loss to the Government, uses for any purpose a stamp issued by Government for the purpose of revenue, which he knows to have been before used, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
IPC Section 262: Simplified Explanation
IPC Section 262 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) addresses the offence of using a government stamp that the person knows has already been used. This section targets individuals who intentionally use a previously used government stamp as if it were a new and valid stamp, thereby intending to deceive or defraud.
Is IPC Section 262 bailable?
No, IPC Section 262 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 262 Punishment
The punishment for IPC Section 262 is imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, with a fine, or with both. This punishment reflects the seriousness of the offence, as using a previously used government stamp can undermine the integrity of official documents and processes.
Example of IPC Section 262
Consider a scenario where a person named Rohit is involved in the sale of a piece of land. To save money, Rohit decides to reuse an old government stamp that was already used on a previous transaction. He carefully removes the stamp from the old document and places it on the new sale deed, making it appear as if the stamp is latest and valid. The deception is discovered when the authorities review the documents and recognize the stamp as already used. Upon investigation, it was found that Rohit knowingly used a previously used government stamp. In this case, Rohit can be prosecuted under IPC Section 262 for using a government stamp known to be used
