What is the punishment for Dhara 261?

The punishment for this specific offense is outlined under the law as: Imprisonment up to Three Year(s) + Fine.

Is IPC 261 bailable or non-bailable?

Under the Indian Penal Code, this specific offense is classified as a Non-bailable offense.

Is Dhara 261 a cognizable offense?

The legal status regarding police arrest without a warrant is that this offense is Cognizable.

Which court has the jurisdiction to try IPC 261 cases?

Cases pertaining to this specific IPC section are triable by the Magistrate First Class.

Can IPC Section 261 be compromised (Compoundable)?

The compoundable nature of this offense, meaning whether the parties can settle it out of court, is classified as: Non-Compoundable (Refer to CrPC 320 for exceptions).

IPC Section 261 In English

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Effacing, writing from substance bearing Government stamp, or removing from document a stamp used for it, with intent to cause loss to Government.—

Section

261

Punishment

Imprisonment up to Three Year(s) + Fine

Cognizable

Bailable

Non-bailable

Compoundable

Non-Compoundable (Refer to CrPC 320 for exceptions)

Trial Court

Magistrate First Class

Bare Act Text

261. Effacing, writing from substance bearing Government stamp, or removing from document a stamp used for it, with intent to cause loss to Government.— Whoever, fraudulently or with intent to cause loss to the Government, removes or effaces from any substance, bearing any stamp issued by Government for the purpose of revenue, any writing or document for which such stamp has been used, or removes from any writing or document a stamp which has been used for such writing or document, in order that such stamp may be used for a different writing or document, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.

Disclaimer:

This article is for general legal information only and is not a substitute for professional legal advice. Please consult a qualified advocate for your specific case.

Pramod Pal Founder and Editor-in-Chief

Pramod is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of StudyHub. He holds a Master's degree and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Geology, alongside more than 7+ years spent building and verifying competitive exam content for Indian aspirants. He leads StudyHub's editorial process across Indian Polity, the Constitution, Indian Economy, History, Geography, Science, and the platform's other subject areas — checking every article against primary sources (bare act text and Gazette notifications for constitutional topics, government and Economic Survey data for economy content, standard reference material elsewhere) and flagging it for re-verification whenever a relevant amendment, policy, or data update makes an earlier version outdated.