(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, the Director or any other officer authorised by him in this behalf 1 [or the Management Authority or any officer authorised by the Management Authority] or the Chief Wild Life Warden or the authorised officer or any forest officer or any police officer not below the rank of a sub- inspector 2 [or any customs officer not below the rank of an inspector or any officer of the coast guard not below the rank of an Assistant Commandant], may, if he has reasonable grounds for believing that any person has committed an offence against this Act,—
(a) require any such person to produce for inspection any captive animal, wild animal, animal article, meat, trophy or 3 [trophy, uncured trophy, specified plant or part or derivative thereof 4 [or scheduled specimen]] in his control, custody or possession, or any licence, permit or other document granted to him or required to be kept by him under the provisions of this Act;
(1. Ins. by Act 18 of 2022, s. 31 (w.e.f. 1-4-2023).
(2. Ins. by s. 31, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-4-2023).
(3. Subs. by Act 44 of 1991, s. 36, for “trophy or uncured trophy” (w.e.f. 2-10-1991).
(4. 1. Ins. by Act 18 of 2022, s. 31 (w.e.f. 1-4-2023).
(b) stop any vehicle or vessel in order to conduct search or inquiry or enter upon and search any premises, land, vehicle or vessel, in the occupation of such person, and open and search any baggage or other things in his possession;
2 [(c) seize any captive animal, wild animal, animal article, meat, trophy or uncured trophy, or any specified plant or part or derivative thereof 1 [or scheduled specimen], in respect of which an offence against this Act appears to have been committed, in the possession of any person together with any trap, tool, vehicle, vessel or weapon used for committing any such offence and, unless he is satisfied that such person will appear and answer any charge which may be preferred against him, arrest him without warrant, anddetain him:
Provided that where a fisherman, residing within ten kilometres of a sanctuary or National Park, inadvertently enters on a boat, not used for commercial fishing, in the territorial waters in that sanctuary or National Park, a fishing tackle or net on such boat shall not be seized.]
3* * * * *
(3) It shall be lawful for any of the officers referred to in sub-section (1) to stop and detainany person, whom he sees doing any act for which a licence or permit is required under the provisions of this Act, for the purposes of requiring such person to produce the licence or permit and if such person fails to produce the licence or permit, as the case may be, he may be arrested without warrant, unless he furnishes his name and address, and otherwise satisfies the officer arresting him that he will duly answer any summons or other proceedings which may be taken against him.
4 [(3A) Any officer of a rank not inferior to that of an Assistant Director of Wild Life Preservation or 5 [an Assistant Conservator of Forests] who, or whose subordinate, has seized any captive animal or wild animal under clause (c) of sub-section (1) may give the same for custody on the execution by any person of a bond for the production of such animal if and when so required, before the Magistrate having jurisdiction to try the offence on account of which the seizure has been made.]
(4) Any person detained, or things seized under the foregoing power, shall forthwith be taken before a Magistrate to be dealt with according to law 6 [under intimation to the Chief Wild Life Warden or the officer authorised by him in this regard].
(5) Any person who, without reasonable cause, fails to produce anything, which he is required to produce under this section, shall be guilty of an offence against this Act.
7 [(6) Where any meat, uncured trophy, specified plant or part or derivative thereof is seized under the provisions of this section, the Assistant Director of Wild Life Preservation or any other officer of a gazetted rank authorised by him in this behalf or the Chief Wild Life Warden or the authorised officer may arrange for the disposal of the same in such manner as may be prescribed.]
(7) Whenever any person is approached by any of the officers referred to in sub-section (1) for assistance in the prevention or detection of an offence against this Act, or in apprehending persons charged with the violation of this Act, or for seizure in accordance with clause (c) of sub-section (1), it shall be the duty of such person or persons to render such assistance.
8 [(8) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, any officer not below the rank of an Assistant Director of Wild Life Preservation or 9 [an officer not below the rank of Assistant Conservator of Forests authorised by the State Government in this behalf] shall have the powers, for purposes of making investigation into any offence against any provision of this Act—
(a) to issue a search warrant;
(b) to enforce the attendance of witnesses;
(c) to compel the discovery and production of documents and material objects; and
(d) to receive and record evidence.
(9) Any evidence recorded under clause (d) of sub-section (8) shall be admissible in any subsequent trial before a Magistrate provided that it has been taken in the presence of the accused person.].
(2. Subs. by Act 44 of 1991, s. 36, for clause (c) (w.e.f. 2-10-1991).
(3. Sub-section (2) omitted by s. 36, ibid (w.e.f. 2-10-1991).
(4. Ins. by s. 36, ibid. (w.e.f. 2-10-1991).
(5. Subs. by Act 16 of 2003, s. 29, for “Wild Life Warden,” (w.e.f. 1-4-2003).
(6. Ins. by s. 29, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-4-2003).
(7. Subs. by s. 29, ibid., for sub-section (6) (w.e.f. 1-4-2003).
(8. Ins. by Act 44 of 1991 s. 36 (w.e.f. 2-10-1991).
(9. Subs. by Act 16 of 2003, s. 29, for “Wild Life Warden” (w.e.f. 1-4-2003).
(1) Any person who 1 [contravenes any provision of this Act 2 [(except Chapter VA and section 38J)]]or any rule or order made thereunder or who commits a breach of any of the conditions of any licence or permit granted under this Act, shall be guilty of an offence against this Act, and shall, on conviction, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 3 [three years], or with fine which may extend to 4 [one lakh rupees], or with both:
5 [Provided that where the offence committed is in relation to any animal specified in Schedule I 6*** or meat of any such animal or animal article, trophy or uncured trophy derived from such animal or where the offence relates to hunting in a sanctuary or a National Park or altering the boundaries of a sanctuary or a National Park 7 [or where the offence relates to a specimen of a species listed on Appendix I of Schedule IV], such offence shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years but may extend to seven years and also with fine which shall not be less than 8 [twenty-five thousand rupees]:
Provided further that in the case of a second or subsequent offence of the nature mentioned in this sub-section, the term of the imprisonment shall not be less than three years but may extend to seven years and also with fine which shall not be less than 9 [one lakh rupees].]
10[(1A) Any person who contravenes any provisions of Chapter VA, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 11[three years] but which may extend to seven years and also with fine which shall not be less than 12[twenty-five thousand rupees].]
13[(1B) Any person who contravenes the provisions of section 38J, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, or with both:
Provided that in the case of a second or subsequent offence the term of imprisonment may extend to one year or the fine may extend to five thousand rupees.]
(2) When any person is convicted of an offence against this Act, the Court trying the offence may order that any captive animal, wild animal, animal article, trophy, 14[uncured trophy, meat, ivory imported into India or an article made from such ivory, any specified plant, or part or derivative thereof] in respect of which the offence has been committed, and any trap, tool, vehicle, vessel or weapon, used in the commission of the said offence be forfeited to the State Government and that any licence or permit, held by such person under the provisions of this Act, be cancelled.
(3) Such cancellation of licence or permit or such forfeiture shall be in addition to any other punishment that may be awarded for such offence.
(4) Where any person is convicted of an offence against this Act, the Court may direct that the licence, if any, granted to such person under the Arms Act, 1959 (54 of 1959), for possession of any arm with which an offence against this Act has been committed, shall be cancelled and that such person shall not be eligible for a licence under the Arms Act, 1959, for a period of five years from the date of conviction.
15 [(5) Nothing contained in section 360 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), or in the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 (20 of 1958), shall apply to a person convicted of an offence with respect to hunting in a sanctuary or a National Park or of an offence against any provision of Chapter VA unless such person is under eighteen years of age.]
(2. Subs. by Act 44 of 1991, s. 37, ibid., for “(except Chapter VA)” (w.e.f. 2-10-1991).
(3. Subs. by s. 37, ibid., for “two years” (w.e.f. 2-10-1991).
(4. Subs. by Act 18 of 2022, s. 32, for “twenty-five thousand rupees” (w.e.f. 1-4-2023), earlier subs. by s. 37, Act 44 of 1991, for “two thousand rupees” (w.e.f. 2-10-1991).
(5. Subs. by Act 16 of 2003, s. 30, for the first and second provisos (w.e.f. 1-4-2003).
(6. The words and figures “or Part II of Schedule II” omitted by Act 18 of 2022, s. 32 (w.e.f. 1-4-2023).
(7. Ins. by Act 18 of 2022, s. 32, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-4-2023).
(8. Subs. by s. 32, ibid., for “ten thousand rupees” (w.e.f. 1-4-2023).
(9. Subs. by s. 32, ibid., for “twenty-five thousand rupees” (w.e.f. 1-4-2023).
(10. Ins. by Act 28 of 1986, s. 4 (w.e.f. 25-11-1986).
(11. Subs. by Act 16 of 2003, s. 30, for “one year” (w.e.f. 1-4-2003).
(12. Subs. by Act 18 of 2022, s. 32, for “ten thousand rupees” (w.e.f. 1-4-2023), earlier ins. by Act 44 of 1991, s. 37 (w.e.f. 2- 10-1991).
(13. Ins. by Act 44 of 1991, s. 37 (w.e.f. 2-10-1991).
(14. Subs. by s. 37, ibid., for “uncured trophy or meat” (w.e.f. 2-10-1991).
(15. Ins. by Act 44 of 1991, s. 37. (w.e.f. 2-10-1991).
In the principal Act, in section 51, in sub-section (1),
(i) in the first proviso,—
(a) in between the words “hunting in” and “a sanctuary” the words “or outside the boundary of” shall be inserted;
(b) for the words “three years”, “seven years” and “ten thousand”, the words “seven years”, “ten years” and “fifty thousand” respectively shall be substituted.
(ii) in the second proviso, for the words “three years”, “seven years” and “twenty five thousand”, the words “ten years”, “life imprisonment” and “seventy five thousand” respectively, shall be substituted.
[Vide Assam Act 31 of 2010, s. 2].
When any person accused of, the commission of any offence relating to Schedule I 2*** or offences relating to hunting inside the boundaries of National Park or wild life sanctuary or altering the boundaries of such parks and sanctuaries, is arrested under the provisions of the Act, then notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) no such person who had been previously convicted of an offence under this Act shall, be released on bail unless—
(a) the Public Prosecutor has been given an opportunity of opposing the release on bail; and
(b) where the Public Prosecutor opposes the application, the Court is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing that he is not guilty of such offence and that he is not likely to commit any offence while on bail.]
(1. Ins. by Act 16 of 2003, s. 31 (w.e.f. 1-4-2003).
(2.The words and figures “or Part II of Schedule II” omitted by Act 18 of 2022, s. 33 (w.e.f. 1-4-2023).
In the principal Act, after section 51A, the following new section 51B shall be inserted, namely:—
(1) Every offence punishable under this Act shall be congnizable and non-bailable within the meaning of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, no person accused of an offence punishable under this Act, shall be released on bail unless—
(a) the Public Prosecutor has been given an opportunity to oppose the application for such release; and
(b) where the Public Prosecutor opposes the application, the court is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the accused is not likely to commit any offence while on bail.
(3) The offences under this Act, shall be triable by the Court of Sessions of the respective jurisdiction.”
[Vide Assam Act 31 of 2010, s. 3].
Whoever attempts to contravene, or abets the contravention of, any of the provisions of this Act or of any rule or order made thereunder shall be deemed to have contravened that provision or rule or order, as the case may be.
If any person, exercising powers under this Act, vexatiously and unnecessarily seizes the property of any other person on the pretence of seizing it for the reasons mentioned in section 50 he shall, on conviction, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.
(1) The Central Government may, by notification, empower the Director of Wild Life Preservation or any other officer not below the rank of Assistant Director of Wild Life Preservation and in the case of a State Government in the similar manner, empower the Chief Wild Life Warden or any officer of a rank not below the rank of a Deputy Conservator of Forests, to accept from any person against whom a reasonable suspicion exists that he has committed an offence against this Act, payment of a sum of money by way of composition of the offence which such person is suspected to have committed.
(2) On payment of such sum of money to such officer, the suspected person, if in custody, shall be discharged and no further proceedings in respect of the offence shall be taken against such person.
(3) The officer compounding any offence may order the cancellation of any licence or permit granted under this Act to the offender, or if not empowered to do so, may approach an officer so empowered, for the cancellation of such licence or permit.
(4) The sum of money accepted or agreed to be accepted as composition under sub-section (1) shall, in no case, exceed the sum of 2 [five lakh rupees]:
Provided that no offence, for which a minimum period of imprisonment has been prescribed in section 51, shall be compounded.]
(1. Subs. by Act 16 of 2003, s. 32, for section 54 (w.e.f. 1-4-2003).
(2. Subs. by Act 18 of 2022, s. 34, for “twenty-five thousand rupees” (w.e.f. 1-4-2023).
No court shall take cognizance of any offence against this Act on the complaint of any person other than—
(a) the Director of Wild Life Preservation or any other officer authorised in this behalf by the Central Government; or
4 [(aa) the Member-Secretary, Central Zoo Authority in matters relating to violation of the provisions of Chapter IVA; or]
5 [(ab) Member-Secretary, Tiger Conservation Authority; or
(3. Subs. by Act 44 of 1991, s. 39, for section 55 (w.e.f. 2-10-1991).
(4. Ins. by Act 16 of 2003, s. 33 (w.e.f. 1-4-2003).
(5. Ins. by Act 39 of 2006, s. 4 (w.e.f. 4-9-2006).
(ac) Director of the concerned tiger reserve; or]
1 [(ad) the Management Authority or any officer, including an officer of the Wild Life Crime Control Bureau, authorised in this behalf by the Central Government; or]
(b) the Chief Wild Life Warden, or any other officer authorised in this behalf by the State Government 2 [subject to such conditions as may be specified by that Government]; or
5 [(bb) the officer-in-charge of the zoo in respect of violation of provisions of section 38J; or]
(c) any person who has given notice of not less than sixty days, in the manner prescribed, of the alleged offence and of his intention to make a complaint, to the Central Government or the State Government or the officer authorised as aforesaid.]
(1. Ins. by Act 18 of 2022, s. 35 (w.e.f. 1-4-2023).
(2. Ins. by Act 16 of 2003, s. 33 (w.e.f. 1-4-2003).
(5. Ins. by Act 18 of 2022, s. 36 (w.e.f. 1-4-2023).
Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to prevent any person from being prosecuted under any other law for the time being in force, for any act or omission which constitutes an offence against this Act or from being liable under such other law to any higher punishment or penalty than that provided by this Act: Provided that no person shall be punished twice for the same offence.
Where, in any prosecution for an offence against this Act, it is established that a person is in possession, custody or control of any 3 [wild animal, captive animal], animal article, meat, 4 [trophy, uncured trophy, specified plant, or part or derivative thereof 5 [or scheduled specimen]] it shall be presumed, until the contrary is proved, the burden of proving which shall lie on the accused, that such person is in unlawful possession, custody or control of such 3 [wild animal, captive animal], animal article, meat, 4 [trophy, uncured trophy, specified plant, or part or derivative thereof 5 [or scheduled specimen].]
(3. Subs. by Act 18 of 2022, s. 36, for “captive animal” (w.e.f. 1-4-2023).
(4. Subs. by Act 44 of 1991, s. 40, for “trophy or uncured trophy” (w.e.f. 2-10-1991).
(5. Ins. by Act 18 of 2022, s. 36 (w.e.f. 1-4-2023).
(1) Where an offence against this Act has been committed by a company, every person who, at the time the offence 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 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 against 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 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 any body corporate and includes a firm or other association of individuals; and
(b) “director”, in relation to a firm, means a partner in the firm.
