Chapter VIII OFFENCES, PENALTIES AND PROCEDURE

(1) Whoever contravenes any of the provisions of section 4, 5, 6, 6A 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, x x x 25 and 39, shall, on conviction, be punished with fine, which, for a first offence, may extend to Rs. 1,000 and, for a second or any subsequent offence, may extend to Rs. 2,000. (2) Whoever contravenes any of the provisions of sections 8, 17, 29 and 34 shall, on conviction, be punished with a fine which may extend to Rs. 250. (3) Whoever contravenes the provisions of sections 24 and 25 shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three months but which may extend to six months or with fine which shall not be less than Rs. 10,000, but which may extend to Rs. 20,000 or with both, for the first offence and for the second and subsequent offences, he shall be punishable with imprisonment of a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to one year.

(1) No prosecution under this Act or the rules or orders made thereunder shall be instituted save on a complaint in writing by an Inspector. (2) No court inferior to that of a Magistrate of the Second Class shall try any offence punishable under this Act or any rules or orders made thereunder.

No court shall take cognizance of any offence under this Act or any rule or order made thereunder, unless complaint thereof is made within six months from the day on which the offence is alleged to have been committed.

Any person who wilfully obstructs an Inspector in the exercise of any power conferred on him under this Act, or any person lawfully assisting an Inspector in the exercise of such power or who fails to comply with any lawful direction made by an Inspector, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to Rs. 500.