34 Penalty for unlawful manufacture, transport, possession, sale etc.— (i) Whoever, in contravention of any provision of this Act, or of any rule, notification or order made or issued thereunder, or of any condition of a licence, permit or pass granted under this Act,—
(a) manufactures, transports, imports, exports. collects of possesses any intoxicant;
(b) save in the cases provided for in Section 38, sell any intoxicant; of
(c) cultivates bhang; or
(d) taps any toddy production tree/or draws toddy therefrom; or
(e) constructs, or works any distillery brewery or vintnery; or
(f) uses, keeps or has in his possession any material, still utensil, implement or apparatus, whatsoever for the purpose of manufacturing any intoxicant other than toddy; or
(g) removes any intoxicant from any distillery, brewery, vintnery or warehouse licensed, established or contained, under this Act;
(h) Bottles any liquor;
shall subject to the provisions of sub-section (2), be punishable for every such offence with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year and fine which shall not be less than five hundred rupees but which may extend to five thousand rupees:
Provided that when any person is convicted under this Section of any offence for a second or subsequent time he shall be punishable for every such offence with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than two months but which may extend to twenty four months and fine which shall not be less than two thousand rupees but which may extend to ten thousand rupees.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), if a person is convicted for an offence covered by clause (a) or clause (b) of sub-section (1) and the quantit1 of the intoxicant being liquor found at the time or in the course of detection of the offence exceeds fifty bulk liter, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year hut which may extend to three years and with fine which shall not be less than twenty five thousand rupees but may extend to one lac rupees:
Provided that when any person is convicted under this section for an offence for second or subsequent time, he shall be punishable for every such offence with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than two years but which may extend to five years and with fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees but may extend to two lac rupees.
(3) When an offence covered by clause (a) or clause (b) of sub-section (1) if committed and the quantity of liquor found at the time or in the course of detection of such offence exceeds fifty bulk litres, all intoxicants, articles implements, utensils, materials, conveyance etc. in respect of or by means of which the offence is committed, shall he liable to be seized and confiscated. If such an offence is committed by or on behalf of a person who holds a licence under the Act for manufacturing or stocking or storing liquor for sale on which duty at the prescribed rate has not been paid then notwithstanding anything contained in Section 31 the licence granted to thin shall be cancelled in case he is convicted for the offence as aforesaid.
(4) The seizure or confiscation of the intoxicants, articles, implements, utensils, materials and conveyance and the cancellation of licence as provided under sub-section (2) above shall be in addition and without prejudice to any other action that may be taken under any provisions of the Act or rules made thereunder.
35 Penalty for altering or attempting to alter any 2[denatured spirit or denatured spirituous preparation.—Whoever—
(a) alters or attempts to alter any denatured spirit or denatured spirituous preparation with the intention that such spirit may be used for human consumption, whether as a beverage or internally as a medicine, or in any other way whatsoever, by any method whatsoever; or
(b) has in his possession any spirit in respect of which he knows or has reason to believe that any such alteration or attempt has been made with the intention specified in clause (a), shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one month but which may extend to two years and also with fine which shall not be less than one thousand rupees hut which may extend to four thousand rupees; or
(c) mixes denatured spirit or such altered denatured spirit or denatured spirituous preparation with potable spirit; shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one month but which may extend to two years and also with fine which shall not be less than one thousand rupees but which may extend to four thousand rupees:
Provided that when any person is convicted under this section for a second offence or subsequent offence he shall be punishable for such offence with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months hut which may extend to six years and with fine which shall not be less than one thousand five hundred rupees but which may extend to six thousand rupees.
Explanation.— In this section “denatured spirituous preparation” means any preparation made with denatured spirit and includes liquors, french polish, varnish and thinners prepared out of such spirituous preparation.
36. Penalty for illegal possession.— Whoever, without lawful authority, has in his possession any quantity of any intoxicant knowing the same to have been unlawfully imported, transported, manufactured, cultivated or collected knowing the prescribed duty not to have been paid thereon, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.
36A. Penalty for opening, keeping or using any place as a common drinking house or for having care, management or control of, or for assisting in conducting, business of any such place.—Whoever in contravention of this Act, or of any rule, notification or order made, issued or given thereunder, or of any licence permit or pass granted under this Act.—
(a) opens, keeps or use any place as a common drinking-house; or
(b) has the care, management or control of, or in any manner assists in conducting the business of any place opened, kept or used as common drinking house;
shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine which shall not be less than two hundred rupees but which may extend to two thousand rupees, or with both.
36-B. Penalty for being drunk or for purpose of drinking in a common drinking-house—Whoever, in contravention of this Act or rule or notification or any order made, issued or given thereunder, or of any licence, permit or pass granted under this Act, is found drunk or drinking is a common drinking house or is found there present for the purpose of drinking shall he punishable with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees and any person found in a common drinking-house during any drinking therein shall be presumed until the contrary is proved, to have been there for the purpose of drinking.
36-C. Penalty for permitting a place to be used for the commission by other person of any offence punishable under Section 34, Section 35, Section 36 or Section 36-A—Whoever, being the owner or occupier or having the use or care or management or control of any place, knowingly permits it to be used for the commission by any other person of any offence punishable under Section 34, Section 35, Section 36 or Section 36-A shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine which shall not he less than two hundred rupees but which may extend to two thousand rupees or with both.
36-D. Execution of bond to abstain from commission of offences punishable under Section 34 or Section 36.— (1) Whenever any person is convicted of an offence punishable under Section 34 or Section 36, and the Magistrate convicting him is of opinion that it is necessary to require such person to execute a bond to abstain from the commission of offences punishable under those sections; the Magistrate may, at the time of passing sentence on such person, order him to execute a bond for a sum proportionate to his means, with or without sureties, to abstain from the commission of such offences during such period, not exceeding three years, as he may direct.
Form of bond and applications of the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure to all matters connected with such bond.— (2) The bond shall be in the form contained in the Second Schedule and the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 (V of 1898) shall in so far as they are applicable, apply to all matters connected with such bond as if it were a bond to keep the place ordered to be executed under Section 106 of that Code.
Circumstances in which bond shall be void.— (3) If the conviction is set aside on appeal or otherwise, the bond so executed shall become void.
Power of Appellate Court or the High Court to make order.— (4) An order under this section may also be made by an Appellate Court, or by the High Court when exercising its powers of revision.
36-E. Magistrate to require a person to show cause why he should not be ordered to execute a bond for good behaviour.— (1) Whenever a Magistrate of the first class specially empowered in this behalf by the State Government receives information that any person within the local limits of his jurisdiction habitually commits, or attempts to commit, or abets the commission of an offence punishable under Section 34 or Section 36, such Magistrate may require such person to show cause why he should not be ordered to execute a bond, with sureties, for his good behaviour for such period, not exceeding three years, as the Magistrate may direct.
Application of provision of the Code of Criminal Procedure to proceeding under sub-section (1).— (2) The provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (V of 1898), shall, in so far so they are applicable, apply to any proceedings under sub-section (1) as if the bond referred to therein were a bond required to he executed under Section 110 of that Code.
37. Penalty for offence not otherwise provided for— Whoever, is guilty of any act or intentional omission in contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or of any rule, notification or order made, issued or given thereunder and not otherwise provided for in this Act, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.
38. Penalty for certain unlawful acts of licensed vendors.— (1) A licensed vendor or any person in his employ and acting on his behalf who-.—
(a) sells any intoxicant to a person who is drunk or intoxicated; or
(b) sells or gives any intoxicant to any person in contravention of Section 23; or
(c) in contravention of Section 22 employs or permits to be employed on any part of his licensed premises referred to in that section any male person or woman; or
(d) permits drunkenness, intoxication, disorderly conduct, dancing, singing, playing of music or gaming on the licensed premises of such vendor; or
(e) permits persons whom he knows or has reason to believe to have been convicted of any non-bailable offence, or who are prostitutes, to resort to or assemble on the licensed premises of such vendor whether for the purposes of crime or prostitution or not;
shall be punishable with fine which shall not be less than one hundred rupees but which may extend to two thousand rupees.
(2) Where any licensed vendor, or any person in his employ and acting on his behalf, is charged with permitting drunkenness on the premises of such vendor and it is proved that any person was drunk on such premises, the burden shall lie on the person charged to prove that the licensed vendor and the persons employed by him took all reasonable steps for preventing drunkenness on such premises.
38-A. Penalty on licensed manufacturer or vendor of intoxicants for mixing or permitting to be mixed with such articles any noxious drug or any foreign ingredient or any diluting or colouring substance.— If a licensed manufacturer or licensed vendor or any person in his employ and acting on his behalf, mixes or permits to be mixed, with any intoxicant manufactured, sold or kept or exposed for sale by him, any noxious drug, or any foreign ingredient in the licence, or has in possession any intoxicant in respect of which such admixture has been made, he shall be punishable with imprisonment which shall not be less than one month but which may extend to one year or with fine which shall not be less than three hundred rupees but which may extend to two thousand rupees or with both.
39. Penalty for misconduct by licensees, etc.— A holder of a licence, permit or pass granted under this Act or any person in the employ of such holder and acting on his behalf, who intentionally—
(a) fails to produce such licence, permit or pass on the demand of any Excise officer or of any other officer duly empowered to make such demand; or
(b) save in a case provided for by Section 34, contravenes any rule made under Section 62; or
(c) does any act in breach of any of the conditions of the licence, permit or pass not otherwise provided for in this Act,
shall be punishable in case (a) with fine which may extend to four hundred rupees, and in case (b) or (c) with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees.
40. Penalty for allowing consumption in chemist’s shop, etc.— (i) A chemist, druggist, apothecary or keeper of a dispensary who allows any intoxicant, which has not been bona fide medicated for medicinal purposes, to be consumed on his business premises by any person not employed in his business shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine which shall not be less than five hundred rupees but which may extend to four thousand rupees, or with both.
(2) Any person not employed as aforesaid who consumes any such intoxicant on such premises shall be punishable with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees.
40-A. Punishment for obstruction to, assault on officer etc.—Whoever assaults or obstructs—
(a) any excise officer or person exercising powers under this Act, or
(b) any informant or other person helping any such officer or person while exercising powers under this Act,
shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees or with both.
41. Manufacture, sale or possession by one person on account of another.— (1) Where any intoxicant has been manufactured or sold or is possessed by any person on account of any other person1 and such other person knows or has reason to believe that such manufacture or sale was, or that such possession is, on his account the intoxicant, shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to have been manufactured or sold by or to be in the possession of, such other person.
(2) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall absolve any person who manufactures, sells or has possession of an intoxicant on account of another person from liability to any punishment under this’ Act, for the unlawful manufacture, sale or possession of such intoxicant.
42. Attempts to commit, and abatement of offences.— Whoever attempts to commit or abets any offence punishable under this Act, shall be liable to the punishment provided for such offence.
43. Presumption as to commission of offences in certain cases.— In prosecutions under Section 34, Section 35 and Section 36 it shall be presumed, until the contrary is proved, that the accused person has committed an offence punishable under that section in respect of—
(a) any intoxicant, or
(b) any still, utensil, implement or apparatus whatsoever for the manufacture of ay intoxicant other than tan, or
(c) any materials which have undergone any process towards the manufacture of an intoxicant, or from which an intoxicant has been manufactured,
for the possession of which he is unable to account for satisfactorily.
44. Criminal liability of licensee for acts of servants.— Where any offence under Section 34, Section 35, Section 36, Section 36-A, Section 38, Section 38-A or Section 39 is committed by any person in the employ and acting on behalf of the holder of a licence, permit or pass granted under this Act such holder shall also be punishable as if he had himself committed the same, unless he establishes that all due and reasonable precaution were exercised by him to prevent the commission of such offence:
Provided that no person other than the actual offender shall be punishable with imprisonment except in default of payment of fine:
45. Enhanced punishment after previous conviction.— lf any person after having been previously convicted of an offence punishable under Section 34, Section 35, Section 36, Section 36-A, Section 36-B, Section 36-C or Section 40 or under the corresponding provisions in any’ enactment repealed by this Act, subsequently commits and is convicted of an offence punishable under any of those sections he shall he liable to twice the punishment which might be imposed on a first conviction under this Act:
Provided that nothing in this section shall prevent any offence which might otherwise have been tried summarily under Chapter XXI of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (No. 2 of 1974), from being so tried.
46. Liability of certain things to confiscation.— (1) Whenever an offence has been committed which is punishable under this Act, the intoxicant, materials, still, utensils, implements or apparatus in respect of or by means of which such offence has been committed, and the receptacles, packages and coverings in which any such intoxicant materials, still, utensils, implements or apparatus is or are found, and the other contents, if any, of the receptacles or packages in which the same is or are found, and the animals, carts vessels, rafts or other conveyance used in carrying the same shall be liable to confiscation.1
(2) Any intoxicant lawfully imported, transported, manufactured, held in possession or sold alongwith, or in addition to any intoxicant liable to confiscation under sub-section (1), and the receptacles, packages and coverings in which any such intoxicant, materials, still, utensil, implements or apparatus as aforesaid is or are found, and the other contents, if any, of the receptacles or packages in which the same is or are found, and the animals, carts, vessels, rafts or other conveyance used in carrying the same, shall likewise be liable to confiscation.
47. Order of confiscation.— (1) Where in any case tried by him the Magistrate, decides that anything is liable to confiscation under Section 46, he shall order confiscation of the same:
Provided that where any intimation under clause (a) of sub-section (3) of Section 47-A has beer received by the Magistrate, he shall not pass any order in regard to confiscation as aforesaid until the proceedings pending before the Collector under Section 47-A in respect of thing as aforesaid have been disposed of, and if the Collector has ordered confiscation of the same under sub-section (2) of Section 47-A, the Magistrate shall not pass any order in this regard.
(2) When an offence under this Act has been committed, but the offender is not known or cannot be found, the case shall be inquired into and determined by the Collector, who may order confiscation:
Provided that no such order shall he made until the expiration of one month from the date of seizing the thing intended to be confiscated, or without hearing any person who may claim any right thereto, and the evidence (if any) which he may produce in support of his claim:
Provided further that if the thing in question is liable to speedy and natural decay, or if the Collector is of opinion that the sale would be for the benefit of its owner, the Collector may at any time direct it to be sold; and the provisions of this sub-section shall, as nearly as may be practicable, apply to the net proceeds of such sale.
47-A. Confiscation of seized intoxicants, articles, implements, utensils, materials, conveyance etc.— (1) Whenever any offence covered by clause (a) of (b) of sub-section (1) of Section 34 is committed and the quantity of liquor found at the time or in the course of detection of offence exceeds fifty bulk litres, every office, empowered under Section 52, while seizing any intoxicants, articles, implements, utensils, materials, conveyance etc. under sub-section (2) of Section 34 or Section 52 of the Act, shall place on the property seized a mark indicating that the same has been so seized and shall without undue delay either produce the seized property before the officer not below the rank of District Excise Officer authorised by the State Government by a notification in this behalf (hereinafter referred to as the Authorised Officer), or where having regard to its quantity or bulk or any other genuine difficulty it is not ex-pedient to do so, make a report containing all the details about the seizure to him.
(2) When the Collector, upon production before him of intoxicants, articles, implements, utensils, materials, conveyance etc. or on receipt of a report about such seizure as the case may be, is satisfied that an offence covered by clause (a) or clause (b) of sub-section (1) of Section 34 has been committed and where the quantity of liquor found at the time or in the course of detection of such offence exceeds fifty bulk litres he may, on the ground to be recorded in writing, order the confiscation of the intoxicants, articles, implements, utensils, materials, conveyance etc. so seized. He may, during the pendency of the proceedings for such confiscation also pass an order of interim nature for the custody, disposal etc. of the confiscated intoxicants, articles, implements, utensils, materials, conveyance etc. as may appear to him to be necessary in the circumstances of the case.
(3) No order under sub-section (2) shall be made unless the Collector has—
(a) sent an intimation in a form prescribed by the Excise Commissioner about initiation of proceedings for confiscation of seized intoxicants, articles, implements, utensils, materials, conveyance, etc. to the Court having jurisdiction to try the offence on account of which the seizure has been made;
(b) issued a notice in writing to the person from whom such intoxicants, articles, implements, utensils, materials, conveyance, etc. have been seized and to any person staking claim to and to any other person who may appear before the Collector to have an interest in it;
(c) afforded an opportunity to the persons referred to in clause (b) above of making a representation against proposed confiscation;
(d) given to the officer effecting the seizure under sub-section (1) and to the person or persons who have been noticed under clause (b) a hearing.
47-B. Appeal against the order of confiscation.— (l) Any person aggrieved by an order of confiscation passed under sub-section (2) of Section 47-A may, within thirty days of such order prefer an appeal to the Collector concerned or to any other officer authorised by the State Government by notification (hereinafter referred to as the Appellate Authority). Such appeal memorandum shall be accompanied by a certified copy of the order appealed against.
(2) The Appellate. Authority on presentation of such memorandum of appeal, issue a notice to the appellant and to any other person who is likely to be adversely affected by the order that may be passed in appeal.
(3) The Appellate Authority after hearing the parties to the appeal, shall pass an order confirming, reversing or modifying the order of confiscation appealed against:
Provided that he may pass such order of interim nature for custody, disposal etc. or the confiscated articles during the pendency of appeal, as may appear to him just or proper in the circumstances of the case but he shall have no power to stay the order of confiscation appealed against during the pendency of appeal.
47-C Revision before the Court of sessions against the order of Appellate Authority.— (1) Any party to appeal aggrieved by the final order by the Appellate Authority under sub-section (3) of Section 47-B may, within 30 days of such order submit a petition or revision solely on the ground of illegality of such order to the Court of sessions within the sessions division.
(2) The Court of sessions may, if it finds any illegality in the order of the Appellate Authority, confirm, reverse or modify the order passed by the Appellate Authority:
Provided that the Court of session shall have no powers to stay the order of confiscation of the order passed by the Appellate Authority during pendency of the petition for revisions before it.
47-D. Bar of jurisdiction of the Court under certain circumstances.— Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Act, or any other law for the time being in force, the Court having jurisdiction to try offences covered by clause (a) or (b) of sub-section (1) of Section 34 on account of which such seizure has been made, shall not make any order about the disposal, custody etc. of the intoxicants, articles, implements, utensils, materials, conveyance etc. seized after it has received from the Collector an intimation under clause (a) of sub-section (3) Section 47-A about the initiation of the proceedings for confiscation of seized property.
48. Power of compound offences and impose penalty.— (1) The Excise Commissioner or the Collector may :-
(a) accept from any person whose licence, permit or pass is liable to be cancelled or suspended under clauses (a) or (b) of Section 3L or who is reasonably believed to have committed an offence under Section 37, Section 38, Section 38-A (Except cases involving admixture of an intoxicant with any noxious drugs) or Section 39, a sum of money not exceeding ten thousand rupees in lieu of such cancellation or suspension or by way of composition for such offence, as the case may be, or may impose as a penalty a sum not exceeding ten thousand rupees, and may in either case, order the confiscation of articles which are seized; and
(b) in any case in which any property has been seized as liable to confiscation under this Act, may at any time before an order of confiscation has been passed by a judicial Magistrate, release the same, on payment of the value thereof as estimated by the Excise Commissioner or the Collector.
(2) On the payment of such sum of money, or such value or both, as the case may be, to the ‘[Excise Commissioner or Collector, the accused person, if in custody shall be discharged, the property seized (if any) shall be released, and no further proceeding shall be taken against such person or property.
48-A. Special provision for the imposition of penalty by the Excise Commissioner or Collector.— Notwithstanding the limit of penalty of Rupees ten thousand prescribed under sub-section (1) of Section 48, the Excise Commissioner or Collector in the event of any breach of contravention of the rules or conditions of licence, may impose penalty to the extent provided in such rules or conditions of licence under the provisions of this Act.
49. Penalty on officers making vexatious search, seizure, detention or arrest.— Any Excise Officer or Officer of the Police, Land Revenue Department or any other person duly empowered under Section 52, who vexatiously and unnecessarily—
(a) enters or searches or causes to be entered or searched any place under colour of exercising any power conferred by this Act, or
(b) seizes the movable property of any person on the pretence of seizing or searching for any article liable to confiscation under this Act, or
(c) detains, searches or arrests any person,
shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.