Recovery of duty under this Act from persons other than the licensee in certain cases

Where the excise trees are tapped or toddy is drawn there from without any licence under section 13, the duty payable

4[under this Act]

shall be recoverable primarily from the person who has tapped the excise trees or caused them to be tapped and in default of payment by, or on failure of recovery from such person, the duty shall be recoverable from the occupier, if any, of the land in which the said excise trees are standing, or if the excise trees do not belong to the occupier of such land or if the land is not occupied by any person, from the owner or other person in possession of the excise trees, unless such owner or other person proves that the excise trees were tapped or toddy was drawn there from without his knowledge.