The Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002
70. Offences by
companies.-
1. Where
a person committing a contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or of
any rule, direction or order made there under is a company, every person who,
at the time the contravention 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 contravention 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
punishment if he proves that the contravention took place without his knowledge
or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent such contravention.
2. Notwithstanding
anything contained in sub-section (1), where a contravention of any of the
provisions of this Act or of any rule, direction or order made there under has
been committed by a company and it is proved that the contravention has taken
place with the consent or connivance of, or is attributable to any neglect on
the part of any director, manager, secretary or other officer of any company,
such director, manager, secretary or other officer shall also be deemed to be
guilty of the contravent on and shall be liable to be proceeded against and
punished accordingly. Explanation.-For the purposes of this section,-
i.
"company"
means any body corporate and includes a firm or other association of
individuals; and
ii.
"director",
in relation to a firm, means a partner in the firm.