Any person subject to this Act who commits any of
the following offences, that is to say,—
(a) when in command of a guard, picket, patrol, detachment or post, releases without proper
authority, whether wilfully or without reasonable excuse, any person committed to his charge, or
refuses to receive any prisoner or person so committed; or
(b) wilfully or without reasonable excuse allows to escape any person who is committed to his
charge, or whom it is his duty to keep or guard,
shall, on conviction by a Force Court, be liable, if he has acted wilfully, to suffer imprisonment for a term
which may extend to ten years or such less punishment as is in this Act mentioned; and if he has not acted
wilfully, to suffer imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or such less punishment as is
in this Act mentioned.