Section 401

Liability where proper accounts not kept.— (1) If, where a company is being wound up, it is shown that proper books of account were not kept by the company throughout the period of two years immediately preceding the commencement of the winding up, or the period between the incorporation of the company and the commencement of the winding up, whichever is the shorter, every officer of the company who is in default shall, unless he shows that he acted honestly and that in the circumstances in which the business of the company was carried on the default was excusable, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to one hundred thousand rupees or with both.

(2) For the purpose of sub-section (1), proper books of account shall be deemed not to have been kept in the case of a company, if there have not been kept-

(a) such books or accounts as are necessary to exhibit and explain the transactions and financial position of the trade or business of the company, including books containing entries from day to day in sufficient detail of all cash received and all cash paid; and

(b) where the trade or business has involved dealings in goods, statement of the annual stock takings and (except in the case of goods sold by way of ordinary retail trade) of all goods sold and purchased, showing the goods and the buyers and sellers thereof in sufficient detail to enable those goods and those buyers and sellers to be identified.