Section 49: Misconduct of witnesses

(1) When a person--
(a) on being summoned as a witness before a pilotage board,fails to attend; or
(b) refuses to take an oath or affirm when required to do so by a pilotage board during an inquiry; or
(c) refuses to produce a document in his power or control, legally required by the pilotage board during an inquiry; or
(d) refuses to answer a question to which a pilotage board may legally require an answer; or
(e) during an inquiry is, in the opinion of the pilotage board, guilty of contempt towards the pilotage board,the chairman of the pilotage board may make a written complaint concerning the conduct of the person to any court which has power to punish persons if guilty of like conduct in that court.
(2) The court to which a complaint is made under subsection (II) of this section may inquire into the alleged conduct and, after-
(a) examination of any witnesses that may be produced for or against the person complained against; and
(b) hearing any statement that may be offered in defence, may, if it seems just, punish the person complained against, as if he had been guilty of such conduct in a proceeding in that court.