Powers of Registrar to summon witnesses. 20. (1) The Registrar or an Assistant Registrar may summon before him any person who he has reason to believe to be able to give any information as to the existence or operations of any unlawful society, or suspected unlawful society, or as to the operations of any registered society or exempted society.
(2) The person so summoned shall attend at the hour and place in the summons specified, and produce all documents in his custody, possession or power relating to such society or suspected society, and answer truthfully all questions which the Registrar or an Assistant Registrar puts to him.
(3) The Registrar and every Assistant Registrar may administer oaths to and examine on oath any person summoned before him under this section.
(4) If any person summoned by the Registrar or an Assistant Registrar under this section shall without lawful excuse fail to comply with any obligation imposed upon him by sub-section (2) or shall give information which the Registrar or Assistant Registrar believes to be false, the Registrar or Assistant Registrar may, if he considers it advisable to provide for the future identification of such person, order that a photograph and impressions of fingerprints of such person be taken at such time and in such place and manner as the Registrar or Assistant Registrar may think fit.
(5) Any person who refuses to comply with such order or who obstructs compliance with such order may be arrested and detained in custody and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars.
(6) No statement made by a person summoned before the Registrar or an Assistant Registrar under the provisions of this section shall subject him to any arrest or criminal prosecution, or be proved against him in any criminal proceeding, except a prosecution for failing to answer truthfully under this section.
Consent to prosecution. 21. Except in the case of persons charged under the provisions of section 15 and of persons arrested under the provisions of section with an offence under this Ordinance or any rule made thereunder 19 and sub-section (5) of section 20, no person shall be charged unless the prior consent in writing of the Attorney General has been obtained.
Forfeiture. 22. Any books, accounts, writings, banners, insignia or other property belonging to any unlawful society shall upon order of a Magistrate be forfeited and given to the Registrar or to an Assistant Registrar for disposal in such manner as he may see fit.
Service of summons. 23. Every summons, notice or other document issued under to have been validly and effectually served, if served in the manner this Ordinance, or under any rule made hereunder, shall be deemed prescribed by the Ordinance No. 41 of 1932.Magistrates Ordinance, 1932, for the service of summonses under that Ordinance.
