Section 152 — Compounding of offences.

152. Compounding of offences.–(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal 
Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), the Appropriate Government or any officer authorised by it in this behalf 
may accept from any consumer or person who committed or who is reasonably suspected of having 
committed  an  offence of  theft of  electricity  punishable  under  this  Act, a  sum of  money  by   way  of 
compounding of the offence as specified in the Table below: 

 

                                                             
1. Ins. by Act 26 of 2007, s. 14 (w.e.f. 15-6-2007). 
2. Ins. by s.15, ibid. (w.e.f. 15-6-2007). 
3. Ins. by s.16, ibid. (w.e.f. 15-6-2007). 



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TABLE 
 

Nature of    Service Rate at which the sum of money for compounding to be collected per 
Kilowatt (KW)/Horse Power (HP)  or part thereof for Low Tension 
(LT) supply and per Kilo Volt Ampere (KVA) of contracted demand 
for High Tension (HT) 

(1) (2) 

1. Industrial Service 

2. Commercial Service 

3. Agricultural Service 

4. Other Services 

twenty thousand rupees; 

ten thousand rupees; 

two thousand rupees; 

four thousand rupees: 

Provided that the Appropriate Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, amend the 
rates specified in the Table above. 

(2) On payment of the sum of money in accordance with sub-section (1), any person in custody in 
connection with that offence shall be set at liberty and no proceedings shall be instituted or continued 
against such consumer or person in any criminal court. 

(3) The acceptance of the sum of money for compounding an offence in accordance with               
sub-section (1) by the Appropriate Government or an officer empowered in this behalf shall be deemed to 
amount to an acquittal within the meaning of section 300 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973          
(2 of 1974). 

(4) The Compounding of an offence under sub-section (1) shall be allowed only once for any person 
or consumer. 

PART XV 

SPECIAL COURTS