Penalties for certain offences relating to passport
3. (1) Any person who,-
(a) makes, attests or verifies any statement which he does not know or believe to be true in any document which he knows or has reason to think will be used for obtaining a passport; or
(b) makes use of any statement which he knows or has reason to think to be untrue in any document for obtaining a passport; or
(c) wilfully conceals any fact which under the circumstances he ought to disclose for the purpose of obtaining a passport for himself or another person; or
(d) forges, alters or tampers with any passport or with any document which he knows or has reason to believe will be used for obtaining a passport; or
(e) uses a passport which he knows or has reason to believe to be forged, altered, or tampered with; or
(f) is in wrongful possession for any purpose prejudicial to the interests of the State of a passport not lawfully issued to him; or
(g) traffics in passports;
shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to two years or with a fine, or with both.
Explanation.- A person who bona fide works for an applicant for a passport at the desire of the applicant though it may be for a gain does not traffic in passports within the meaning of this section.
[(2) No Court shall take cognizance of any offence under this section except with the previous sanction in writing of the Government.]