Section 15 in The Orissa Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 1995
15. Secrecy of information.
(1)Any information, obtained by the Lokpal or the Lokayuktas or members of their staff in the course of, or for the purposes of any investigation under this Act, and any evidence recorded or collected in connection with such information, shall subject to the provisions of the proviso to Sub-section (2) of Section 10, be treated as confidential and notwithstanding anything contained in the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, no Court shall be entitled to compel the Lokpal or a Lokayukta or any public servant to give evidence relating to such information or produce the evidence so recorded or collected.(2)Nothing in Sub-section (1) shall apply to disclosure of any information or particulars-(a)for purposes of investigation or in any report to be made thereon or for any action or proceedings to be taken on such report;(b)for purposes of any proceedings for an offence under the Indian Official Secrets Act, 1923, or an offence of perjury or for purposes of any proceedings under Section 15; or(c)for such other purposes as may be prescribed.(3)An officer or other authority prescribed in this behalf may give notice in writing to the Lokpal or a Lokayukta, as the case may be with respect to any document or information specified in the notice, if any class of documents so specified that in the opinion of the State Government the disclosure of the documents or information or of documents or information of that class would be contrary to public interest and where such a notice is given, nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorising or requiring the Lokpal, the Lokayukta or any member of their staff to communicate to any person any such document or information specified in the notice or any document or information of a class so specified.(4)No person shall publish any proceedings relating to investigation which is pending before the Lokpal or a Lokayukta, as the case may be, nor shall any person publish such proceedings after the investigation is completed.(5)Whoever contravenes the provisions of Sub-section (4) shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.(6)Nothing in Sub-sections (4) and (6) shall apply to the publication of any report laid before the State Legislature under Sub-section (8) of Section 12.
