Section 52: Master not to evade payment of fees or other charges.
The Indian Ports Act 2025Central Act · Act 27 of 2025
(1) No master of a vessel shall evade the payment of any fees or other charges required to be paid under this Act.
(2) In any proceeding before a Magistrate, any document issued by the officer empowered to grant port-clearance under section 51 stating that the master has evaded such payment shall be sufficient proof of the evasion, unless the master shows to the satisfaction of the Magistrate that the departure of the vessel without payment of the sum was caused by stress of weather, or that there was lawful or reasonable ground for such departure.
(3) Any Magistrate having jurisdiction under this Act in any port to which the vessel may proceed, or in which she may be found, shall be deemed to have jurisdiction in any proceeding under this section.