Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout-Design Act, 2000
63.
Offences
by companies.
1. If the person
committing an offence under this Act is a company, the company as well as every
person in charge of, and responsible to, the company for the conduct of its
business at the time of the commission of the offence shall be deemed to be
guilty of the offence 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
any punishment if he proves that the offence was committed without his
knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of
such offence.
2. Notwithstanding
anything contained in sub-section (1), where an offence under this Act has been
committed by a company and it is proved that the offence has been committed with
the consent or connivance of, or that the commission of the offence is
attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or
other officer of the company, such director, manager, secretary or other
officer shall also be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable
to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.
Explanation
- For
the purposes of this section-
a. ''company'' means anybody
corporate and includes a firm or other association or individuals; and
b.
''director'',
in relation to a firm, means a partner in the firm.