law: Electricity Act, 2003
  154. Procedure and
  
  power of Special Court.-
  1.     
  
    Notwithstanding
  
  anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), every
  
  offence punishable under sections 135 to 140 and section 150 shall be triable
  
  only by the Special Court within whose jurisdiction such offence has been
  
  committed.
  2.     
  
    Where
  
  it appears to any court in the course of any inquiry or trial that an offence
  
  punishable under sections 135 to 140 and section 150 in respect of any offence
  
  that the case is one which is triable by a Special Court constituted under this
  
  Act for the area in which such case has arisen, it shall transfer such case to
  
  such Special Court, and thereupon such case shall be tried and disposed of by
  
  such Special Court in accordance with the provisions of this Act:
  Provided
  
  that  
  
  it shall be lawful for such Special Court to act on the evidence, if any,
  
  recorded by any court in the case of presence of the accused before the
  
  transfer of the case to any Special Court:
  Provided
  
  further that if such Special Court is of opinion that
  
  further examination, cross-examination and re-examination of any of the
  
  witnesses whose evidence has already been recorded, is required in the interest
  
  of justice, it may resummon any such witness and after such further
  
  examination, cross-examination or reexamination, if any, as it may permit, the
  
  witness shall be discharged.
  1.     
  
  
  2.     
  
  
  3.     
  
    The
  
  Special Court may, notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) of
  
  section 260 or section 262 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974),
  
  try the offence referred to in sections 135 to 140 and section 150 in a summary
  
  way in accordance with the procedure prescribed in the said Code and the
  
  provisions of sections 263 to 265 of the said Code shall, so far as may be,
  
  apply to such trial:
  Provided
  
  that  
  
  where in the course of a summary trial under this sub-section, it appears to
  
  the Special Court that the nature of the case is such that it is undesirable to
  
  try such case in summary way, the Special Court shall recall any witness who
  
  may have been examined and proceed to re-hear the case in the manner Provided
  
  by the provisions of the said Code for the trial of such offence:
  Provided
  
  further that  
  
  in the case of any conviction in a summary trial under this section, it shall
  
  be lawful for a Special Court to pass a sentence of imprisonment for a term not
  
  exceeding five years.
  1.     
  
  
  2.     
  
  
  3.     
  
  
  4.     
  
    A
  
  Special Court may, with a view to obtaining the evidence of any person supposed
  
  to have been directly or indirectly concerned in or privy to, any offence
  
  tender pardon to such person on condition of his making a full and true
  
  disclosure of the circumstances within his knowledge relating to the offence
  
  and to every other person concerned whether as principal or abettor in the
  
  commission thereof, and any pardon so tendered shall, for the purposes of
  
  section 308 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), be deemed to
  
  have been tendered under section 307 thereof.
  5.     
  
    The
  
  
  
  Special Court shall determine the civil liability against a consumer or a person
  
  in terms of money for theft of energy which shall not be less than an amount
  
  equivalent to two times of the tariff rate applicable for a period of twelve
  
  months preceding the date of detection of theft of energy or the exact period
  
  of theft if determined whichever is less and the amount of civil liability so
  
  determined shall be recovered as if it were a decree of civil court.
  6.     
  
    In
  
  case the civil liability so determined finally by the Special Court is less
  
  than the amount deposited by the consumer or the person, the excess amount so
  
  deposited by the consumer or the person, to the Board or licensee or the
  
  concerned person, as the case may be, shall be refunded by the Board or
  
  licensee or the concerned person, as the case may be, within a fortnight from
  
  the date of communication of the order of the Special Court together with
  
  interest at the prevailing Reserve Bank of India prime lending rate for the
  
  period from the date of such deposit till the date of payment.
  Explanation:  For the purposes of
  
  this section, "civil liability" means loss or damage incurred by the
  
  Board or licensee or the concerned person, as the case may be, due to the
  
  commission of an offence referred to in sections 135 to 140 and section 150.