Deposit of rent by tenant

(1) Where the landlord does not accept any rent tendered by the tenant within the time referred to in Section 24 or refuses or neglects to deliver a receipt referred to therein or where there is a bona fide doubt as to the person or persons to whom the rent is payable, the tenant may deposit such rent with the Rent Controlling Authority in the prescribed manner and such deposit of rent shall be a full discharge of the tenant from the liability to pay rent to the landlord. (2) The deposit shall be accompanied by an application by the tenant containing the following particulars, namely : (a) the accommodation for which the rent is deposited with a description sufficient for identifying the accommodation; (b) the period for which the rent is deposited; (c) the name and address of the landlord or the person or persons claiming to be entitled to such rent; (d) the reasons and circumstances for which the application for depositing the rent is made; (e) such other particulars as may be prescribed. (3) On such deposit of the rent being made, the Rent Controlling Authority shall send in the prescribed manner a copy or copies of the application to the landlord or persons claiming to be entitled to the rent with an endorsement of the date of the deposit. (4) If an application is made for the withdrawal of any deposit of rent, the Rent Controlling Authority shall, if satisfied that the applicant is the person entitled to receive the rent deposited, order the amount of the rent to be paid to him in the manner prescribed and such payment of rent shall be a full discharge of the Rent Controlling Authority from all liability to pay rent to the landlord : Provided that no order for payment of any deposit of rent shall be made by the Rent Controlling Authority under this sub-Section without giving all persons named by the tenant in his application under sub-Section (2), as claiming to be entitled to payment of such rent, an opportunity of being heard and such order shall be without prejudice to the rights of such persons to receive such rent being decided by a Court of competent jurisdiction. (5) If at the time of filing the application under sub-Section (4), but not after the expiry of thirty days from receiving the notice of deposit, the landlord or the person or persons claiming to be entitled to the rent complains or complain to the Rent Controlling Authority that the statements in the tenant's application of the reasons and circumstances which led him to deposit the rent are untrue, the Rent Controlling Authority, after giving the tenant an opportunity of being heard, may levy on the tenant a fine which may extend to an amount equal to two months' rent, if the Rent Controlling Authority is satisfied that the said statements were materially untrue and may order that a sum out of the fine realised be paid to the landlord as compensation. (6) The Rent Controlling Authority may, on the complaint of the tenant and after giving an opportunity to the landlord of being heard, levy on the landlord a fine which may extend to an amount equal to two months' rent, if the Rent Controlling Authority is satisfied that the landlord, without any reasonable cause, refused to accept rent though tendered to him within the time referred to in Section 24 and may further order that a sum out of the fine realised be paid to the tenant as compensation.