Section 12 in Chhattisgarh Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes (Regulation of Social Status Certification) Act, 2013
12. Penalty for issuing false social status certificate.
(1)Any person or authority, performing the functions of Competent Authority under this Act, who intentionally issues a false Social Status Certificate, shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three months but which may extend to two years and with fine which shall not be less than two thousand rupees and which may extend to twenty thousand rupees;Provided that where a Social Status Certificate has been issued by a Competent Authority, on the basis of an affidavit testifying the social status of an applicant for such certificate and after enquiring in the manner prescribed under Section 4, after observing due diligence, the competent Authority shall not be deemed to have intentionally issued a false Social Status Certificate.(2)No court shall take cognizance of an offence punishable under this Section, except with the previous sanction of the Government.
