Section 17 — Penalty for failure to comply with certain provisions of the Act.

17. Penalty for failure to comply with certain provisions of the 

Act.- A habitual offender who without lawful excuse, the burden of proving 

which shall lie upon him-  

(a) fails to appear in compliance with a notice issued under 

section 4; or  

(b) intentionally omits to furnish any information required under 

that section or furnishes as true any information which he 

knows, or has reasons to believe, to be false or does not 

believe to be true; or 

(c) refuses to allow his finger and palm impression, foot-prints 

and photographs to be taken by any person acting under an 

order passed under section 6; or  

(d) fails to comply with the provision of sub-section (1) of 

section 7 or with an order of the District Magistrate under 

sub-section (2) thereof or with an order under section 11;  

may be arrested without warrant, and shall be punished,-  

(i) on first conviction, with imprisonment for a term which 

may extend to six months or with fine which may extend 

to two hundred rupees, or with both, and  

(ii) on a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment 

for a term which may extend to one year or with fine 

which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both:  

Provided that, if the Court, after taking into consideration the 

offender's age and physical and mental condition and his suitability for 

receiving training of a corrective character in a corrective settlement, is 

satisfied that it is expedient with a view to his reformation and the prevention 

of crime, that he should receive training of a corrective character for a 

substantial period the court may, in lieu of sentencing the offender to any 

punishment under this section, direct, after giving him an opportunity of 

showing cause (and after consulting the officer prescribed on the capacity of 

the corrective settlements to receive him) that he shall receive corrective 

training in a corrective settlement for such term not exceeding three years, as 

it may determine.