(1) Whoever molests, or abets the molestation of, a debtor for the recovery of a debt by him to a creditor shall, on conviction, be punishable with imprisonment of either description which may extend to one year or with fine which may extend to rupees two thousand or with both.
Explanation.-- For the purposes of this section a person who, with intent to cause another person to abstain from doing any act which he has a right to do or to do any act which he has a right to abstain from doing--
(a) obstructs or uses violence to or intimidates such other person, or
(b) persistently follows such other person from place to place or inteferes with any property owned or used by him or deprives him of, or hinders him in, the use thereof, or
(c) loiters near a house or other place where such other person resides or works, or carries on business or happens to be, or does any act calculated to annoy or intimidate such other person, shall be deemed to molest such other person :
Provided that a person who goes to such house or place in order merely to obtain or communicate information shall not be deemed to molest.
24. Whoever fails to comply with or acts in contravention of any provision of this Act or any rule made thereunder shall, if no specific penalty has been provided for in the Act, be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to one year or with fine which may extend to rupees two thousand or with both.
25. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, offences punishable under this Act or any rule made thereunder shall be cognizable.
26. No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against the Government, any officer of the Government, a Tribunal or the District Collector or the Revenue Commissioner for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of this Act or any rule made thereunder.
Penalty for molestation.
General provision regarding penalties.
Certain offence to be cognizable.
Protection of action taken in good faith.
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27. Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, when the period of limitation is calculated for any suit, appeal, proceeding or application, or for execution of a decree, the period during which any person was debarred from instituting such suit, appeal or proceeding or making such application or executing such decree shall be excluded.
28. A debtor shall not be liable to pay interest upon any loan during the period for which no suit, appeal, or proceeding could be instituted or application made for recovery of the loan or for execution of a decree in relation thereto or for which a suit, appeal, application or proceeding for recovery of the was stayed.