Power to tender immunity from prosecution

519. (1) The Central Government may, if it is of the opinion that with a view to obtaining the evidence of any person appearing to have been directly or indirectly concerned in or privy to the concealment of income or to the evasion of payment of tax on income it is necessary or expedient so to do, for reasons to be recorded in writing, tender to such person,— ( a) immunity from prosecution for any offence under this Act or under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023), or under any other Central Act in force; and ( b) from imposition of any penalty under this Act on condition of his mak- ing a full and true disclosure of the whole circumstances relating to the concealment of income or evasion of payment of tax on income. (2) A tender of immunity made to, and accepted by, the person concerned, shall, to the extent to which the immunity extends, render him immune from prosecution for any offence in respect of which the tender was made, or from the imposition of any penalty under this Act. (3) If it appears to the Central Government that any person to whom immunity has been tendered under this section–– ( a) has not complied with the conditions on which the tender was made; or ( b) is wilfully concealing anything; or ( c) is giving false evidence, the Central Government may record a finding to that effect, and thereupon the immunity shall be deemed to have been withdrawn. (4) The person whose immunity has been withdrawn under sub-section (3) may be tried for the offence in respect of which the tender of immunity was made or for any other offence of which he appears to have been guilty in connection with the same matter and shall also become liable to imposition of any penalty under this Act to which he would otherwise have been liable. Cognizance of offences.