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BNS Section 184

Using Government stamp known to have been before used

Whoever, fraudulently or with intent to cause loss to the Government, uses for any purpose a stamp issued by Government for the purpose of revenue, which he knows to have been before used, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.


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Key Points:
Offense of Using a Previously Used Government Stamp:

This section makes it a crime for anyone to fraudulently or with the intent to cause loss to the Government, reuse a Government stamp for any purpose, knowing that the stamp has been used previously.

Fraudulent Intent:
The person must have used the stamp intentionally and fraudulently, meaning there is a deliberate intention to avoid paying the required revenue by reusing the stamp.
The act is committed with the intent to cause financial loss to the Government by not paying for a new stamp that should have been applied to a different document or transaction.

Government Stamps for Revenue:
Government revenue stamps are used to indicate that a certain fee or tax has been paid on a document, such as legal agreements, contracts, or financial transactions. Each time a stamp is used, it signifies that the Government has collected the appropriate revenue.
Reusing a stamp essentially cheats the system, as the person avoids paying the required tax or fee for the new document.

Knowledge of Prior Use:
A critical aspect of this offense is that the person knows that the stamp has already been used. This means that if someone unknowingly uses a previously used stamp, they may not be liable under this section.
The knowledge of prior use makes the act deliberate and fraudulent.

Punishment:
The punishment for this offense can be imprisonment of either description (simple or rigorous) for a term which may extend to two years, or a fine, or both.
The penalty reflects the seriousness of the crime, as it involves defrauding the Government of its revenue.

Fraud Against the Government:
The act of reusing a stamp is considered a fraud against the Government because it undermines the revenue collection system. The person gains a benefit by not paying the fee for a new stamp, which is required by law.

Revenue Protection:
This section ensures that the Government can enforce its revenue collection by preventing people from illegally reusing stamps that have already been applied to another document or transaction.


Offence : Using a Government stamp known to have been before used.


Punishment : Imprisonment for 2 years, or fine, or both.


Cognizable or Non-cognizable : Cognizable.


Bailable or Non-bailable : Bailable.


By what Court triable : Any Magistrate.




Browse through our complete index of all BNS sections. Learn about the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita with our extensive resource that covers every section in detail.


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