● Modified in BNS
Forgery means making a false document with intent to cause damage, support a false claim, or commit fraud -- BNS Section 336(1) keeps this definition but explicitly adds "false electronic record" alongside "false document," a phrase IPC 463 never used. This is a definitional provision with no punishment of its own; punishment sits in BNS 336(2) (IPC 465, up to 2 years) and 336(3) (IPC 468, forgery for cheating, up to 7 years), both already published in this tool.
Section 463 IPC defined forgery as making a false document or part of a document with intent to cause damage or injury to the public or any person, to support a claim or title, to induce someone to part with property or enter a contract, or with intent to commit fraud. "Making a false document" is itself separately defined in the neighbouring Section 464, covering forged signatures/seals, dishonest alteration of an existing document, and procuring a signature by deception.
BNS Section 336(1) reproduces the definition essentially verbatim, with one genuine addition: "false electronic record" is inserted alongside "false document" throughout, extending the definition's own text to expressly name forged electronic records (e.g. digitally altered PDFs or e-signed files) as a form of forgery -- a phrase absent from IPC 463's wording.
The core definition is unchanged. The one verified addition is that "false electronic record" is now named explicitly alongside "false document," extending the forgery definition to expressly cover electronic records.
This is a definitional provision; it carries no independent punishment, bail, cognizability or compounding rules of its own. Those sit under the companion punishment sub-sections, BNS 336(2) onward (IPC 465 and IPC 468, both already published in this tool), which scale punishment by the forger's intent.
Summaries are for general information and are not legal advice. For the authoritative bare-act text, see the official Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Indian Penal Code, 1860 (full amended text, as it stood before repeal) on India Code, or the Ministry of Home Affairs' new criminal laws page. ← All comparisons