Chapter VI Chapter VI

Save as provided under section 3, any person who fails to comply with a notice of demand by or on behalf of the Custodian under the provisions of this Act to surrender possession of any evacuee property shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both.

Any person who pays to or receives from any other person any sum of money in respect of any property which he knows or has reason to believe to be, evacuee property shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both: Provided that nothing contained in this section shall apply to or render punishable any payment made to or received by the Custodian.

Any person who wilfully conceals any property which he knows or has reason to believe to be evacuee property shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

Any person who wilfully destroys or causes damage to any evacuee property or unlawfully converts it to his own use shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.

Any person who— (i) for the purpose of obtaining an allotment or lease of any evacuee property, makes a declaration or statement which is false or which he either knows or has reason to believe to be false, or does not believe to be true, or (ii) furnishes any return, account or information which is material to any of the purposes of this Act and which is false or which he either knows or has reason to believe to be false or does not believe to be true, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.

Any person who contravenes any provision of this Act or of any rule or order made thereunder, or obstructs the lawful exercise of any power conferred by or under this Act or makes default in complying with any requirement of this Act or of any rule or order made thereunder, shall, if no express provision is made by this Act for punishment of such contravention, obstruction or default, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both.

If the person charged with an offence under this Act is a company or other body corporate, the director, manager, secretary or other officer of the company or other body corporate directly concerned in the management thereof shall, unless he proves that the offence took place without his knowledge or that he exercised due diligence to prevent such contravention, be deemed to be guilty of such contravention.

Any person who abets any of the offences punishable under this Act shall be punishable with the punishment provided for the offence.