Section 31. Transfer of assets, etc., to be void in certain cases

31. Transfer of assets, etc., to be void in certain cases.— (1) Except with the prior approval of the Central Government, no owner of a sick textile undertaking, specified in the Schedule to the Sick Textile Undertakings (Taking Over of Management) Act, 1972 (72 of 1972), the management of which could not be taken over by the Central Government by reason of any decree, order or injunction of any court or otherwise, shall, on and from the date of introduction of the Sick Textile Undertakings (Nationalisation) Bill, 1974, in the House of the People, transfer, by sale, mortgage or otherwise, any property or other assets forming part of the said sick textile undertaking and any such transfer without the previous approval of the Central Government shall be void and inoperative. (2) Any person who contravenes the provisions of sub-section (1) shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees, or with both. 32. Penalties.— Any person who,— (a) having in his possession, custody or control any property forming part of a sick textile undertaking wrongfully withholds such property from the Central Government or the National Textile Corporation, or any person authorised by that Government or Corporation, as the case may be, in this behalf, or (b) wrongfully obtains possession of, or retains, any property forming part of the sick textile undertaking or wilfully withholds or fails to furnish to the Central Government, the National Textile Corporation or any person specified by that Government, or Corporation, as the case may be, any document relating to such sick textile undertaking which may be in his possession, custody or control or fails to deliver to the National Textile Corporation or any person specified by that Corporation any assets, books of account, registers or other documents in his custody relating to the sick textile undertaking, or (c) wrongfully removes or destroys and property forming part of any sick textile undertaking or prefers any claim under this Act which he knows or has reasonable cause to believe to be false or grossly inaccurate, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees, or with both.