Penalty for obstructing inspection or for failure to produce documents, etc.

Any person who wilfully obstructs an Inspector in the exercise of his powers or discharge of his duties under this Act or fails to produce for inspection on demand by an Inspector any registers, record or other documents maintained in pursuance of the provisions of this

Act or the rules made thereunder or to supply to him on demand true copies of any such document, shall, on conviction, be punished—

1. (a) for the first offence, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both; and [(a) for the first offence, the employer shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty-five thousand rupees.]
2. (b) for a second or subsequent offence, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both: [(b) for a second or subsequent offence, the employer shall be liable to a penalty of fifty thousand rupees.] Provided that in the absence of special and adequate reasons to the contrary to be

mentioned in the judgement of the court, in any case where the offender is sentenced to fine only, the amount of fine shall not be less than hundred rupees.

[Provided that, in the absence of special and adequate reasons to the contrary to be recorded in the judgment of the Court, in any case where the offender is liable to penalty only, the amount of such penalty shall not be less than ten thousand rupees.]