(1)
Whoever, being a public servant but not being a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe, wilfully neglects his duties required to be performed by him under this Act and the rules made thereunder, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to one year.
(2)
The duties of public servant referred to in sub-section (1) shall include––
- to read out to an informant the information given orally, and reduced to writing by the officer in charge of the police station, before taking the signature of the informant;
- to register a complaint or a First Information Report under this Act and other relevant provisions and to register it under appropriate sections of this Act;
- to furnish a copy of the information so recorded forthwith to the informant;
- to record the statement of the victims or witnesses;
- to conduct the investigation and file charge sheet in the Special Court or the Exclusive Special Court within a period of sixty days, and to explain the delay if any, in writing;
- to correctly prepare, frame and translate any document or electronic record;
- to perform any other duty specified in this Act or the rules made thereunder:
(3)
The cognizance in respect of any dereliction of duty referred to in sub-section (2) by a public servant shall be taken by the Special Court or the Exclusive Special Court and shall give direction for penal proceedings against such public servant.