12. Appointment of inspecting officers and recovery in cases reported by them-
(1)The State Government may appoint generally, or in any case, or for any specified class of cases, in any local area, one or more officers to be called inspecting officers.(2)The inspecting officer may, subject to the control of the Court concerned, examine the records of any case which is pending or has been disposed of, with a view to finding out whether proper fees have been paid therein.(3)If on such examination, the inspecting officer finds that the fee payable under this Act on any document filed, exhibited or recorded in such case has not been paid or has been insufficiently paid, he shall report the fact to the presiding officer of the Court.(4)Such presiding officer, after satisfying himself of the correctness of such report, shall record a provisional finding that the proper fee has not been paid and determine the amount of the fee payable and such further sum as he thinks reasonable as the costs of the inquiry and the person from whom the fee or the difference thereof, if any, and the costs shall be recoverable.(5)After recording a finding under sub-section (4), the presiding officer shall issue a notice to the person referred to in that sub-section to show cause why he should not be ordered to pay the fee and the costs determined hereunder, and, if sufficient cause is not shown, the presiding officer shall confirm the finding and make an order requiring such person to pay the proper fee and the costs before a specified date.(6)If such person fails to pay the fee and the costs in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (5), they shall, on the certificate of such presiding officer, be recoverable as an arrear of land revenue.
