Section 31A

Except as provided in this section, no witness in any civil or criminal proceedings shall be obliged or permitted to disclose the name or address of an informer or the substance and nature of the information received from him or to state any matter which might lead to his discovery.

If any books, documents or papers which are in evidence or are liable to inspection in any civil or criminal proceedings contain any entry in which any informer is named or described or which might lead to his discovery, the court shall cause all such passages to be concealed from view or to be obliterated so far only as may be necessary to protect the informer from discovery.

If on trial for any offence against this Act the court after full inquiry into the case believes that the informer wilfully made in his complaint a material statement which he knew or believed to be false or did not believe to be true, or if in any other proceedings the court is of the opinion that justice cannot fully be done between the parties thereto without the discovery of the informer, it shall be lawful for the court to require the

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production of the original complaint, if in writing, and permit inquiry and require full disclosure concerning the informer.

Power to compound forest offences.