Offences by societies or trusts

Offences by societies or trusts 18.

1. (1) Where an offence under this Act has been committed by a society or trust, every person who at the time the offence was committed was in charge of, and was responsible for the conduct of the business of the society or the trust, as the case may be, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly: Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall render any such person liable to any punishment provided in this Act, if he proves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.
2. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where any offence under this Act has been committed by a society or trust and it is proved that the offence has been committed with the consent or connivance of, or is attributable to, any neglect on the part of any director, manager, secretary, trustee or other officer of the society or trust, such director, manager, secretary, trustee or other officer shall also be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.