Offences and penalties

(1) Whoever,- (a) obtains a false Caste Certificate by furnishing false information or filing false statement or documents or by any other fraudulent means ; or (b) not being a person belonging to any of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or Other Backward Classes secures any benefits or appointments exclusively reserved for such Castes, Tribes or Classes in the Government, local authority, co-operative society or any other company or corporation owned or controlled by the Government or in any Government aided institution, or secures admission in any educational institution against a seat exclusively reserved for such Castes, Tribes or Classes or is elected to any of the elective offices of any local authority or co-operative society against the office, reserved for such Castes, Tribes or Classes, by producing a false Caste Certificate, shall, on conviction, be punished, with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend up to three years and with fine which shall not be less than Rs. 10,000, but which may extend up to Rs. 50,000. (2) No court shall take cognizance of an offence punishable under this section except upon a complaint, in writing, made by the Scrutiny Committee or by any other officer duly authorized by the Scrutiny Committee for this purpose.