POCSO Act Section 21 — Punishment for failure to report or record a case
CHAPTER V PROCEDURE FOR REPORTING OF CASES
Criminal
Punishment
Imprisonment up to 6 months, or fine, or both
As the section puts it: “shall be punished with imprisonment of either description which may extend to six months or with fine or with both”
Summary
Sub-section (1) says that any person who fails to report the commission of an offence under sub-section (1) of section 19 or section 20, or who fails to record such an offence under sub-section (2) of section 19, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both.
Sub-section (2) says that any person who is in-charge of a company or an institution (by whatever name called) and who fails to report the commission of an offence under sub-section (1) of section 19 in respect of a subordinate under his control, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year and with fine.
Sub-section (3) says that the provisions of sub-section (1) shall not apply to a child under this Act.
Official Text
(1) Any person, who fails to report the commission of an offence under sub-section (1) of section 19 or section 20 or who fails to record such offence under sub-section (2) of section 19 shall be punished with imprisonment of either description which may extend to six months or with fine or with both.
(2) Any person, being in-charge of any company or an institution (by whatever name called) who fails to report the commission of an offence under sub-section (1) of section 19 in respect of a subordinate under his control, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year and with fine.
(3) The provisions of sub-section (1) shall not apply to a child under this Act.
