Penalty for obstructing inspection in discharge of inspector's duties or failure to produce documents, etc

17 A. Penalty for obstructing inspection in discharge of inspector's duties or failure to produce documents, etc. Any person who wilfully obstructs an Inspector in the exercise of his powers or discharge of his duties under this Act or fails to produce for inspection on demand by an inspector any registers, records or other documents maintained in pursuance of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder or to supply to him on demand true copies of any such documents, shall, on conviction, be punished.

1. (a) for the first offence, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both; and
2. (b) for a second or subsequent offences, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both; Provided that, in the absence of special and adequate reasons to the contrary to be mentioned in the judgement of the Court, in any case where the offender is sentenced to a fine only, the amount of fine shall not be less than fifty rupees.