7. Penalty to be imposed in addition to other punishment
Feedback & supportLast amended by an amending law of 2010.
Where a court convicts any person of committing an offence of promoting or participating in a multi-level marketing scheme or arrangement or a pyramid selling scheme or arrangement under section 3(2) then —
multi-level marketing scheme or arrangement
“multi-level marketing scheme or arrangement” has the same meaning as “pyramid selling scheme or arrangement” in this Act;
if the person has received any benefit, directly or indirectly, as a result of committing the offence; and
if the benefit received by the person is a sum of money or if the value of the benefit can be assessed,the court is, in addition to imposing on that person any other punishment, to order that person to pay as a penalty, within the time that may be specified in the order, a sum not exceeding the amount of or, in the opinion of the court, the value of the benefit received by the person, and any such penalty is recoverable as a fine.
In determining the amount of the penalty that a person, being a participant, is required to pay under subsection (1), the court may take into account any benefit that the person may have given for the right to participate in the multi-level marketing scheme or arrangement or the pyramid selling scheme or arrangement (as the case may be) or any loss that the person may have incurred as a result of such participation.
benefit
“benefit” includes any gratuity, commission, cross commission, bonus, refund, discount, dividend and any other payment, service or advantage of whatever description, but does not include —(a)the purchase of a sample of a commodity furnished at a price not exceeding the cost of the sample and which is not for resale; and(b)time and effort spent in pursuit of sales, distribution or recruiting activities;
Where a person charged with any offence under section 3(2) is convicted of one or more offences under any other written law, and the outstanding offences are taken into consideration by the court under section 148 of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 for the purpose of passing sentence, the court may impose the penalty mentioned in subsection (1) for any offence under this Act so taken into consideration.
Nothing in subsection (1) affects any right which any person may have under any written law or rule of law to recover damages from the person mentioned in subsection (1).