Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XVIII: Of Offences Relating to Documents and to Property Marks
Section 339: Having possession of document described in section 337 or section 338, knowing it to be forged and intending to use it as genuine
In plain words
Possessing a document or electronic record you know is forged, intending it to be used fraudulently or dishonestly as genuine, is punishable with up to seven years in prison and a fine for the documents in section 337. For the documents in section 338, it is imprisonment for life or up to seven years, and a fine.
A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.
Official text
Whoever has in his possession any document or electronic record, knowing the same to be forged and intending that the same shall fraudulently or dishonestly be used as genuine, shall, if the document or electronic record is one of the description mentioned in section 337 of this Sanhita, be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine; and if the document is one of the description mentioned in section 338, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description, for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Corresponding sections were matched by comparing the wording of both official texts, and for the IPC and BNS, also against a published correspondence table. Wording, punishments and structure often changed, so read both sections before relying on the match.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 25 August 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 339
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.