Section 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 – Offence relating to bribing a public servant by a commercial organisation

Home › The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 › Chapter III – Offences and penalties

Section 9: Offence relating to bribing a public servant by a commercial organisation

(1) Where an offence under this Act has been committed by a commercial organisation, such organisation shall be punishable with fine, if any person associated with such commercial organisation gives or promises to give any undue advantage to a public servant intending—

(a) to obtain or retain business for such commercial organisation; or

(b) to obtain or retain an advantage in the conduct of business for such commercial organisation:

Provided that it shall be a defence for the commercial organisation to prove that it had in place adequate procedures in compliance of such guidelines as may be prescribed to prevent persons associated with it from undertaking such conduct.

(2) For the purposes of this section, a person is said to give or promise to give any undue advantage to a public servant, if he is alleged to have committed the offence under section 8, whether or not such person has been prosecuted for such offence.

(3) For the purposes of section 8 and this section,—

(a) “commercial organisation” means—

(i) a body which is incorporated in India and which carries on a business, whether in India or outside India;

(ii) any other body which is incorporated outside India and which carries on a business, or part of a business, in any part of India;

(iii) a partnership firm or any association of persons formed in India and which carries on a business whether in India or outside India; or

(iv) any other partnership or association of persons which is formed outside India and which carries on a business, or part of a business, in any part of India;

Source: official text of The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 as published on India Code (PDF). All sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.