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OFFENCES AND PUNISHMENT

209. Clause 68 deals with the punishment for unlicensed services and clause 68(l) reads as under:

68(l) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, any person who, without a license, owns or provides any network infrastructure facility or provides any communication service or knowingly assists in the transmission or distribution of such service in any manner including:

(a) collection Of subscription for his principal; or

(b) issuing of advertisements to such service; or

(c) dealing in, or distribution of, equipment for decoding programme,

shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to five years, or with fine which may extend to five crore rupees, or with both, and, for the second or subsequent offence, with imprisonment which may extend to five years, or with fine which may extend to ten crore rupees, or with both.

210. The Committee is of the o pinion that the words "knowingly" in clause 68(l) needs clarification to obviate any ambiguity later. It therefore, proposes that the word "knowingly" be substituted by the words "any person, knowing that the said service is operated without a license."
211. Clause 69 - Since definition of the term 'radio-frequency' has been included in clause 2, Explanation to this effect in clause 69(1) may be deleted.