Section 22. Offences by companies

CHAPTER V PENALTIES AND PROCEDURE 1[20. Penalties. —Any person who— (a) (i) in any return, statement or other document required by or under this Act, makes a statement which is false in any material particular, knowing it to be false, or willfully omits to make a material statement; or (ii) without reasonable excuse (the burden of proving which shall be on him) fails to furnish any return, statement or other document or any information or to answer any question or to comply with any requisition made under this Act or any rules made thereunder; or (iii) enters into any forward contract during the period of suspension of business of a recognised association in pursuance of a notification under section 14; or (b) is a member of any association, other than a recognised association, to which a certificate of registration has not been granted under this Act; or (c) publishes or circulates information relating to the rate at which any forward contract has been entered into in contravention of any of the bye-laws of a recognised association; or (d) organises, or assists in organising, or is a member of, any association in contravention of the provisions contained in the proviso to sub-section (1) of section 18; or (e) enters into any forward contract or any option in goods in contravention of any of the provisions contained in sub-section (1) or sub-section (3A) or sub-section (4) of section 15, section 17 or section 19, shall, on conviction, be punishable— (i) for a first offence, with imprisonment which may extend to one year, or with a fine of not less than one thousand rupees, or with both; (ii) for a second or subsequent offence under clause (d), or under clause (e) [other than an offence in respect of a contravention of the provisions of sub-section (4) of section 15], with imprisonment which may extend to one year and also with fine: provided that in the absence of special and adequate reasons to the contrary to be mentioned in the judgment of the court, the imprisonment shall not be less than one month and the fine shall not be less than one thousand rupees.] — 21. Penalty for owning or keeping place used for entering into forward contracts in goods. Any person who— (a) owns or keeps a place other than that of a recognised association, which is used for the purpose of entering into or making or performing, whether wholly or in part, any forward contracts in contravention of any of the provisions of this Act and knowingly permits such place to be used for such purposes, or (b) without the permission of the Central Government, organises, or assists in organising, or becomes a member of, any association, other than a recognised association, for the purpose of assisting in, entering into or making or performing, whether wholly or in part, any forward contracts in contravention of any of the provisions of this Act, or 1. Subs. by Act 62 of 1960, s. 17, for s. 20 (w.e.f. 28-12-1960). (c) manages, controls or assists in keeping any place other than that of a recognised association, which is used for the purpose of entering into or making or performing, whether wholly or in part, any forward contracts in contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or at which such forward contracts are recorded or adjusted, or rights or liabilities arising out of such forward contracts are adjusted, regulated or enforced in any manner whatsoever, or (d) not being a member of a recognised association, willfully represents to, or induces, any person to believe that he is a member of a recognised association or that forward contracts can be entered into or made or performed, whether wholly or in part, under this Act through him, or (e) not being a member of a recognised association or his agent authorised as such under the rules or by-laws of such association, canvasses, advertises or touts in any manner, either for himself or on behalf of any other person, for any business connected with forward contracts in contravention of any of the provisions of this Act, or (f) joins, gathers, or assists in gathering at any place, other than the place of business specified in the bye-laws of a recognised association, any person or persons for making bids or offers or for entering into or making or performing, whether wholly or in part, any forward contracts in contravention of any of the provisions of this Act, or (g) makes, publishes or circulates any statement or information which is false and which he either knows or believes to be false, affecting or tending to affect the course of business in forward contractsin respect of goods to which the provisions of section 15 have been made applicable,[1] [or] 1[(h) manipulates or attempts to manipulate prices in respect of forward contracts for the sale or purchase of any goods specified in any notification under section 15, in any area specified in that notification,] 2[shall, on conviction, be punishable— (i) for a first offence, with imprisonment which may extend to two years, or with fine of not less than one thousand rupees, or with both; (ii) for a second or subsequent offence, with imprisonment which may extend to two years and also with fine: provided that in the absence of special and adequate reasons to the contrary to be mentioned in the judgment of the court, the imprisonment shall not be less than one month and the fine shall not be less than one thousand rupees.] 3[21A. Power of court to order forfeiture of property. —Any court trying an offence punishable under section 20 or section 21 may, if it thinks fit and in addition to any sentence which it may impose for such offence, direct that any money, goods or other property in respect of which the offence has been committed, shall be forfeited to the Central Government. Explanation .—For the purposes of this section, property in respect of which an offence has been committed, shall include deposits in a bank where the said property is converted into such deposits.] 22. Offences by companies.— (1) Where an offence has been committed by a company, every person who, at the time the offence was committed, was in charge of, and was responsible to the company for the conduct of the business of the company, as well as the company, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly: Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall render any such person liable to any punishment provided in this Act, if he proves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where an offence under this Act has been committed by a company and it is proved that the offence has been committed with the consent or connivance of, or is attributable to any gross negligence on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or 1. Ins. by Act 62 of 1960, s. 18 (w.e.f. 28-12-1960). 2. Subs. by s. 18, ibid., for certain words (w.e.f. 28-12-1960). 3. Ins. by s. 19, ibid . (w.e.f. 28-12-1960). other officer of the company, such director, manager, secretary or other officer shall also be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly. Explanation . — For the purposes of this section, — (a) "company" means any body corporate and includes a firm or other association of individuals; and (b) "director", in relation to a firm, means a partner in the firm. 1[22A. Power to search and seize books of account or other documents.— (1) Any presidency magistrate or a magistrate of the first class may, by warrant, authorise any police officer not below the rank of sub-inspector to enter upon and search any place where books of account or other documents relating to forward contracts or options in goods entered into contravention of the provisions of this Act, may be or may be reasonably suspected to be, and such police officer may seize any such book or document, if in his opinion, it relates to any such forward contract or option in goods. (2) The provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898), shall, so far as may be, apply to any search or seizure made under sub-section (1) as they apply to any search or seizure made under the authority of a warrant issued under section 98 of the said Code.