Chapter VII OFFENCES AND PENALTIES

under section 5 or for making false statement in memorandum.- (1) Any person who,-

1. (a) after the appointed day, wilfully omits or neglects to deliver or send the memorandum as required by section 5;
2. (b) makes any statement in a memorandum delivered or sent to the Registrar under section 5 or under section 6 is false in any material particular and which he knows or has reason to believe to be fase, shall, on conviction, be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees or with both.

1. (2) The Registrar or any officer authorised by the State Government in this behalf may prosecute any person for an offence punishable under sub-section (1).

Any Registrar who wilfully fails to file a memorandum delivered or sent to him or to make entries in the register as required by section 5 or section 6 shall, on conviction, be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees or with both.

Any person secreting, destroying or dishonestly or fraudulently altering the memorandum or the register or any part thereof shall, on conviction, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years and with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees.

Any person, who, after the appointed day,- (a) gives or takes or abets the giving or taking of dowry; (b) demands, directly or indirectly, from the parents or guardians of a bride or bride-groom or any other person any dowry, shall, on conviction, be punishable with imprisonment which shall not be less than three months but may extend to one year and with fine which shall not be less than one thousand rupees but may extend to five thousand rupees.

1. (a) gives or takes or abets the giving or taking of dowry;
2. (b) demands, directly or indirectly, from the parents or guardians of a bride or bride-groom or any other person any dowry, shall, on conviction, be punishable with imprisonment which shall not be less than three months but may extend to one year and with fine which shall not be less than one thousand rupees but may extend to five thousand rupees.

Any person who fails to transfer any property as required by sub-section (1) of section 11 within the time specified therein, shall on conviction be punishable with imprisonment which shall not be less than three months but may extend to one year and with fine which shall not be less than one thousand rupees but may extend to five thousand rupees. Any such punishment shall not absolve the person from his obligation to transfer the property as required by sub-section (1) of section 11.

If, after the marriage, for non-payment of dowry, any party to the marriage with or without the assistance of his parents or guardian or any other person, deprives the other party of the rights and privileges of marriage, or tortures or refuses to maintain the other party, he shall, on conviction be punishable with imprisonment which shall not be less than six months but may extend to one year or with fine which shall not be less than two thousand rupees but may extend to five thousand rupees or with both.

1. (2) of section 13.- Any person who being liable to furnish a return under sub-section (2) of section 13, wilfully omits or neglects to furnish a return as required by the said sub-section shall, on conviction, be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees or with both.

Any person who prepares, serves, distributes or provides for consumption or causes to be prepared, served, distributed or provided for consumption any sweet or foodstuff in contravention of section 15, shall on conviction, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees or with both.

Any person contravening the provisions of section 16 shall on conviction be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees or with both.

(1) Every offence punishable under this Act, except those punishable under section 17, 22 and 23 shall be cognizable. (2) Every offence punishable under section 20 shall be non-bailable and non-compoundable.

1. (2) Every offence punishable under section 20 shall be non-bailable and non-compoundable.

Notwithstanding anything in any other law, in a prosecution for an offence punishable under section 20 the burden of proving that he has not abetted given, taken or demanded dowry or that he has not the giving, taking or demanding dowry shall lie on the accused.