In any prosecution under this Act, the court may order such costs to be paid by the accused to the complainant, or by the complainant to the accused, as the court deems reasonable having regard to all the circumstances of the case and the conduct of the parties and the costs so awarded shall be recoverable as if they were a fine.
India Code, Government of India. Text fetched 10 Oct 2026. Check the linked official text and subsequent notifications when applying a provision.