Employee's Provident Funds Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952
14. Penalties
(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].
(1A) 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 para 38 of the Scheme insofar 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 fine of ten thousand rupees] in case of default in
payment of employees' contribution which has been deducted by the employer from
the employees' wages;
(b) which shall not be
less than six months and 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
(1B) An employer who contravenes, or makes
default in complying with, the provisions of section 6C, or clause (a) of
sub-section (3A) of section 17 in so far as it relates to 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 the 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].]
[(2A) 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 146[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].]