Criminal Law Videos - IPC Section 468 (Forgery for purpose of cheating)

IPC section 468 punishes the act of forgery for the purpose of cheating. It says that whoever commits forgery with the intention that the document or electronic record forged shall be used for the purpose of cheating, shall be punished with simple or rigorous imprisonment for a term extending up to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

The section requires that forgery must be committed and the intention of the offender must be to use the forged document or forged electronic record for the purpose of cheating. Whether the intention materialises or not is of no consequence. This offence is also an aggravated form of forgery for which enhanced punishment has been prescribed.

Section 468 does not require that the accused should commit the offence of cheating. What is material for Section 468 is committing forgery with the intent to use the forged document for the purpose of cheating. If the accused has used the forged document for the purpose of cheating, he becomes liable under Section 468 as well as for committing the offence of cheating.

The offence under this section is cognizable, non-bailable and non-compoundable, and is triable by magistrate of the first class.