Section 39: Unlawful detention of pay

Any officer, subordinate officer or an under-officer who, having received the pay of a person subject to this Act unlawfully detains or refuses to pay the same when due, shall, on conviction by a Security Force Court, be liable to suffer imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or such less punishment as is in this Act mentioned.

Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 15 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.

Supreme Court judgments citing the section 39

No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.