Question

The principle is to be applied to the given facts and to choose the most appropriate option:

Principle: When a person falsifies something with the intent to deceive another person or entity is forgery and is a criminal act. Changing or adding the signature on a document, deleting it, using or possessing false writing is also considered forgery. In the case of writing/painting to fall under the definition, the material included must have been fabricated or altered significantly in order to represent something it is actually no.

Facts: David made a living travelling from city to city, selling paintings that he claimed were done by great artists. Since the artists’ signatures were in place, many people fell for them and purchased the paintings. One of these artists saw three of his alleged paintings in a City gallery containing his name. He knew these were not his works and he complained to the police. Police traced David and initiated legal proceedings. Is David guilty of any offence?

विकल्प

• There is no point in taking legal action against David as the signature has not done any alteration to the artwork.

• David is guilty of forgery as the addition of the signature was with an intention to make people believe that those were the paintings of the great artists.

• Those who buy the art pieces from David ought to have been careful in checking it and ensuring that they were originals before purchasing it.

• David is not guilty of any offence as he was selling the art pieces for his living.

Answer 1

David is guilty of forgery as the addition of the signature was with an intention to make people believe that those were the paintings of the great artists.

Explanation:

According to Section 468 of the Indian Penal Code, an individual committing forgery on a document for the purpose of cheating will be held guilty.   
In this question, David sold fake paintings by forging the signatures of great artists with the purpose of cheating customers. He will be held guilty for the same.  (Dinesh Chandra vs State Of U.P. And Others on 7  March, 2011).