Chapter VI Chapter VI

Whoever forcibly opposes the seizure of cattle liable to be seized under this Act, and whoever rescues the same after seizure, either from a pound or from any person taking or about to take them to a pound, such person being near at hand and acting under the powers conferred by this Act, shall, on conviction before a Magistrate, be punished with imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months, or with fine not exceeding five hundred rupees, or with both.

Any owner, or keeper or attendant of cattle, who causes or suffers cattle to stray about without a keeper or who, through neglect or otherwise, damages or causes or permits to be damaged any land, or any crop or produce of land or any public road, by allowing such cattle to trespass thereon, shall, on conviction before a Magistrate, be liable to a fine not less than twenty-five rupees, but not exceeding two hundred and fifty rupees or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or to both.

Any fine imposed under section 24 or for the offence of mischief by causing cattle to trespass on any land may be recovered by sale of all or any of the cattle by which the trespass was committed, whether they were seized in the act of trespassing, or not, and whether they are the property of the person convicted of the offence, or were only in his charge when the trespass was committed.

Notwithstanding the provisions contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, any Police Officer may investigate without the order of a Magistrate into an offence under Section 24 as if it were a cognizable case, but he shall not arrest without warrant from a Magistrate any person accused of offence under section 24.

Any pound-keeper releasing or purchasing or delivering cattle contrary to the provisions of section 18, or omitting to provide any impounded cattle with sufficient food and water, or failing to perform any of the other duties imposed upon him by this Act, shall, over and above any other penalty to which he may be liable, be punished, on conviction before a Magistrate, with fine not exceeding fifty rupees. Such fines may be recovered by deductions from the pound-keeper's salary.

All fines recovered under sections 24, 25 and 27 may be appropriated, in whole or in part, as compensation for loss or damage proved to the satisfaction of the convicting Magistrate.