IPC Section 464
📖 Section 464 IPC – Making a false document with intent to cause damage or injury
This section deals with forgery, specifically making or creating a false document with fraudulent intent.
🔹 Textual Meaning
Whoever makes a document or electronic record, knowing it to be false, with the intent to cause damage or injury to a person, commits an offence under Section 464 IPC.
Note: The term “document” includes all kinds of written records, electronic records, deeds, contracts, or instruments that purport to create, transfer, or extinguish legal rights or obligations.
🔹 Key Ingredients of Section 464 IPC
Making or creating a false document
The act must involve writing, signing, or otherwise producing a document.
Merely possessing a forged document is not enough—creation itself is required.
Knowledge of falsity
The person must know that the document is false.
Innocent creation, like a clerical error, does not count.
Intent to cause damage or injury
The purpose must be to cheat, defraud, or harm someone legally or financially.
Scope
Includes any electronic records as defined under the Information Technology Act, making this applicable to digital forgeries too.
🔹 Punishment
Imprisonment: Up to 2 years, or
Fine, or
Both.
If the forgery is more serious (like affecting property rights, or public documents), other sections like 467 IPC (forgery of valuable security, will, etc.) may apply, carrying heavier punishment.
📌 Examples
A person creates a fake school certificate intending to use it for employment.
Making the false certificate with fraudulent intent = Section 464 IPC.
Someone drafts a fake bank document to mislead a bank official.
The act of creating the false document with intent to cause loss = Section 464.
Creating a false digital invoice to claim tax benefits unlawfully.
Digital forgery falls under Section 464 as well.
🔹 Difference from Related Sections
| Section | Focus | Punishment | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 464 | Making a false document with intent to injure | ≤2 years | Forged school certificate |
| 465 | Punishment for forgery (general) | ≤2 years | Signing false document of another |
| 467 | Forgery of valuable security, will, etc. | Life or ≤10 years | Forged property deed |
| 468 | Forgery for cheating | ≤7 years | Fake contract to defraud employer |
✅ In short:
Section 464 IPC punishes the act of creating or making a false document or electronic record with the intent to cause legal or financial harm, with imprisonment up to 2 years, fine, or both.
RELATED Blog
0 comments