Punishment for Contravention of Deposit Rules (Rule 21)
# Punishment for Contravention of Deposit Rules (Rule 21)
## Trigger
Applies when a company inviting deposits or any other person contravenes ANY provision of the Deposit Rules for which no specific punishment is provided in the Act.
## Penalty
On Whom
Fine
Company AND every officer in default
Up to Rs. 5,000
Continuing contravention
Further fine of up to Rs. 500 per day after the first day
## Key Points
Rule 21 is a residual / catch-all penalty.
Applies only when the Act itself does not prescribe punishment for the specific contravention.
Where the Act prescribes punishment (e.g., Section 76A), that specific provision overrides Rule 21.
Worked example
### Example 1
Example: ABC Ltd. fails to issue a deposit receipt within 21 days as required under Rule 12. The Act does not specify a separate penalty for this. Rule 21 applies: fine up to Rs. 5,000, plus Rs. 500/day continuing fine after the first day.
⚠️ Common exam mistakes
Applying Rule 21 where the Act itself prescribes a specific punishment — the specific provision prevails.
Forgetting the continuing-default fine of Rs. 500/day.
Believing Rule 21 catches only the company — it catches every officer in default too.
Bare-Act text Rule 21, Companies (Acceptance of Deposits) Rules, 2014 · Companies Act, 2013 · click to expand
If any company inviting deposits or any other person contravenes any provision of these rules for which no punishment is provided in the Act, the company and every officer of the company who is in default shall be punishable with fine which may extend to Rs. 5,000 and where the contravention is a continuing one, with a further fine which may extend to Rs. 500 for every day after the first day during which the contravention continues.