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Section 187: Person Employed in Mint Causing Coin to Be of Different Weight/Composition

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita • Chapter IX: Of Offences Relating to Coin, Currency & Stamps • Official Statutory Text & Legal Guide

Chapter IX: Of Offences Relating to Coin, Currency & Stamps
Magistrate 1st Class
Non-Bailable
Cognizable
Formerly Sec 244, 245 IPC
Section 186 All 358 Sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 188

Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Section 187

Section 187 penalizes a person employed in any mint causing coin to be of different weight or composition from that fixed by law, prescribing imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and fine.

  • Mint Employee Culpability: Applies to officers and workers employed in sovereign government mints.
  • Altering Coin Specifications: Doing any act or omitting what they are legally bound to do, causing any coin issued to be of different weight or composition from official legal tender specifications.
  • Preservation of Currency Purity: Guarantees public and international faith in the metallic standard of Indian coinage (formerly Section 244 IPC).
Key Landmark Precedents:
  • State of Kerala v. Mathai Verghese (1986) 4 SCC 746: Noted that statutory standards of sovereign coinage and currency are sacrosanct, warranting strict fiduciary liability for mint employees under Section 244 IPC (Section 187 BNS).
  • Syad Akbar v. State of Karnataka (1980) 1 SCC 30: Examined statutory duties in public administration.
Courtroom Practice & Strategic Litigation Guidance:

In metallurgical discrepancy investigations at government mints, examine calibration logs: showing that metallurgical variations fell within authorized tolerance limits under the Coinage Act, 2011 disproves criminal deviation under Section 187 BNS.

Section 186 All 358 Sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 188