SECTION- 15. Secrecy of information -

(1) Any information obtained by the Lokayukta or the Up-Lokayukta or members of their staff in the course of or for the purposes of any investigation under this Act and any evidence recorded or collected in connection with such information shall subject to the provisions of the proviso to sub-section (2) of section 10, be treated as confidential and notwithstanding anything contained in the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (Central Act I of 1872), no Court shall be entitled to compel the Lokayukta or an Up-Lokayukta or any public servant to give evidence relating to such information or produce the evidence so recorded or collected.

(2) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall apply to the disclosure of any information or particulars-
(a) for purposes of the investigation or in any report to made thereon or for any action or proceedings to be taken on such report ; or
(b) for purposes of any proceedings for an offence under the Official Secrets Act, 1923 (Central Act 19 of 1923) or an offence of giving or fabricating false evidence under the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Central Act 45 of 1860) or for purposes of any trial of an offence under section 13 or any proceedings under section 16 ; or
(c) for such other purposes as may be prescribed.

(3) An officer or other authority prescribed in this behalf may give notice in writing to the Lokayukta or an Up-Lokayukta, as the case may be, with respect to any document or information specified in the notice or any class of documents or information so specified that in the opinion of the State Government the disclosure of the documents or information of documents or information of that class would be contrary to public interest, and where such a notice is given, nothing in this Act, shall be construed as authorizing or requiring the Lokayukta, the Up-Lokayukta or any member of their staff, unless the Lokayukta or the Up-Lokayukta for reasons to be recorded, is of the opinion that disclosure of such document or information involves no public interest, to communicate any person, any document or information specified in the notice or any document or information of a class so specified.

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