Penalty for withholding assistance or conniving at offence or escape

Penalty for withholding assistance or conniving at offence or escape.-If such headman or watchman do not forthwith give such assistance, or if the inhabitants of such village do not afford full opportunity for search in their houses for the offenders, or if, from the circumstances of the case, there shall appear good reason to believe that the inhabitants of such village, or any of them, were conniving at the offence or at the escape of the offenders, and such offenders cannot be traced beyond the village, the Magistrate of the District may, with the previous sanction of the Commissioner of the Division, inflict a fine upon such village not exceeding five hundred rupees, except in the case of stolen property over five hundred rupees in value, in which case the fine shall not exceed the value of such property.

Appeal to High Court.-An appeal against all convictions under this section shall lie to the High Court of Himachal Pradesh.

Fine may be awarded to injured parties, and fee to tracker.-The Magistrate may direct that the fine imposed under this section or any part thereof shall be awarded to any persons injured by such offence in compensation for such injury; and, in the case of stolen property recovered through the agency of a tracker, may direct that such property be not restored to its owner until he has paid to such tracker such fee, not exceeding one-fourth part of the value of the stolen property as the said Magistrate deems fit.