(1) Whoever, for the purpose of avoiding any payment to be made by himself under this Act, the scheme, the Pension Scheme or the Insurance Scheme or of enabling any other person to avoid such payment knowingly makes or causes to be made any false statement or false representation shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine of five thousand rupees, or with both.
(1-A) An employer who contravenes, or makes default in complying with, the provisions of Section 6 or clause (a) of sub-section (3) of Section 17 in so far as it relates to the payment of inspection charges, or paragraph 38 of the Scheme in so far as it relates to the payment of administrative charges, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years but-
(a) which shall not be less than one year and a fine of ten thousand rupees in case of default in payment of the employees' contribution which has been deducted by the employer from the employees' wages;
(b) which shall not be less than six months and a fine of five thousand rupees, in any other case:
Provided that the court may, for any adequate and special reasons to be recorded in the judgment, impose a sentence of imprisonment for a lesser term.
(1-B) An employer who contravenes, or makes default in complying with the provisions of Section 6-C, or clause (a) of sub-section (3-A) of Section 17 in so far as it relates to the payment of inspection charges, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year but which shall not be less than six months and shall also be liable to fine which may extend to five thousand rupees:
Provided that the court may, for any adequate and special reasons to be recorded in the judgment impose a sentence of imprisonment for a lesser term.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Scheme, the Pension Scheme or the Insurance Scheme may provide that any person who contravenes, or makes default in complying with, any of the provisions thereof shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to four thousand rupees, or with both.
(2-A) Whoever contravenes or makes default in complying with any provision of this Act or of any condition subject to which exemption was granted under Section 17 shall, if no other penalty is elsewhere provided by or under this Act for such contravention or non-compliance, be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to six months, but which shall not be less than one month, and shall also be liable to fine which may extend to five thousand rupees.
