2 (c) "money circulation scheme" means any scheme, by whatever name called, for the making of quick or easy money, or for the receipt of any money or valuable thing as the consideration for a promise to pay money, on any event or contingency relative or applicable to the enrolment of members into the scheme, whether or not such money or thing is derived from the entrance money of the members of such scheme or periodical subscriptions;
3. No person shall promote or conduct any prize chit or money circulation scheme, or enrol as a member to any such chit or scheme, or participate in it otherwise, or receive or remit any money in pursuance of such chit or scheme.
4. Whoever contravenes the provisions of section 3 shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both: 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 year and the fine shall not be less than one thousand rupees.
5. Whoever, with a view to the promotion or conduct of any prize chit or money circulation scheme in contravention of the provisions of this Act or in connection with any chit or scheme promoted or conducted as aforesaid,-
(d) brings, or invites any person to send, for the purpose of sale or distribution, any ticket, coupon or other document for use in a prize chit or money circulation scheme or any advertisement of such prize chit or money circulation scheme; or
(e) uses any premises, or causes or knowingly permits any premises to be used, for purposes connected with the promotion or conduct of the prize chit or money circulation scheme; or
(f) causes or procures or attempts to procure any person to do any of the above-mentioned acts, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine which may extend to three thousand rupees, or with both: Provided that in the absence of special andadequate reasons to the contrary to be mentioned in the judgment of the court, the imprisonment shall not be less than one year and the fine shall not be less than one thousand rupees.
7. Power to enter search and seize.
(1) It shall be lawful for any police officer not below the rank of an officer-in-charge of a police station,-
(a) to enter, if necessary by force, whether by day or night with such assistance as he considers necessary, any premises which he has reason to suspect, are being used for purposes connected with the promotion or conduct of any prize chit or money circulation scheme in contravention of the provisions of this Act;
(b) to search the said premises and the persons whom he may find therein;
(c) to take into custody and produce before any Judicial Magistrate all such persons as are concerned or against whom a complaint has been made or credible information has been received or a reasonable suspicion exists of their having been concerned with the use of the said premises for
purposes connected with, or with the promotion or conduct of, any such prize chit or money circulation scheme as aforesaid;
(d) to seize all things found in the said premises which are intended to be used, or reasonably suspected to have been used, in connection with any such prize chit or money circulation scheme as aforesaid.
(2) Any officer authorised by the State Government in this behalf may-
(a) at all reasonable times, enter into and search any premises which he has reason to suspect, are being used for the purposes connected with, or conduct of, any prize chit or money circulation scheme in contravention of the provisions of this Act;
(b) examine any person having the control of, or employed in connection with, any such prize chit or money circulation scheme;
(c) order the production of any documents, books or records in the possession or power of any person having the control of, or employed in connection with, any such prize chit or money circulation scheme; and
(d) inspect and seize any register, books of account, documents or any other literature found in the said premises.
(3) All searches under this section shall be made in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974.) 1158
10. All offences punishable under this Act shall be cognizable.
No comments:
Post a Comment