Section 14: Payments of portion of fine to informants.

(1) The convicting magistrate may direct any portion, not exceeding one half, of any fine which is imposed under section 3, section 4 or section 9 and of the moneys or the proceeds of articles seized and ordered to be forfeited under section 8 or section 12 to be paid to such informants as may have assisted in the detection of the offenders.

(2) A direction under sub-section (1) may also be made by any court of appeal, reference or revision.

(3) Where a direction is made under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) the magistrate or court concerned shall send the amount to be paid under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), as the case may be in the area within the jurisdiciion of the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad to the said Commissioner and elsewhere to the Superintendent of Police, who shall distribute it among such of the informants aforesaid as may be chosen by him in such proportion as he thinks fit.

(4) The amount to be paid as aforesaid shall not be sent to the Commissioner of Police or the Superintendent of Police until the expiration of three months from the date of the direction under sub-section (1) or if an appeal, reference or revision is made within the period, until the same is disposed of.

Explained:

Section 14 of the Telangana Gaming Act, 1974 deals with the payment of a portion of the fine and forfeited amounts to persons who assist the authorities in detecting gaming offences. The provision is intended to encourage useful information leading to the detection and prosecution of offenders. Indian Kanoon

What does Section 14 provide?

Under Section 14(1), the Magistrate who convicts an accused may direct that not more than one-half of the fine imposed under Sections 3, 4 or 9 be paid to informants who assisted in detecting the offence. The provision also covers money or proceeds of articles seized and ordered to be forfeited under Sections 8 or 12. Indian Kanoon

Importantly, the payment is discretionary, as the section uses the expression “may direct.” Therefore, an informant does not automatically acquire a right to receive a share of the fine.

Powers of Appellate Courts

Section 14(2) extends this power beyond the trial Magistrate. A Court of Appeal, Reference or Revision may also make a direction regarding payment to informants. IndiaCode by eCourtsIndia

Under Section 14(3), the amount is forwarded to the Commissioner of Police in the Hyderabad area and, elsewhere, to the Superintendent of Police. The concerned police authority distributes the amount among the selected informants in the proportion considered appropriate.

Section 14(4) provides a safeguard by requiring the amount to remain undistributed for three months, or until an appeal, reference or revision filed within that period is disposed of. IndiaCode by eCourtsIndia

Important Judicial Decisions

In D. Krishna Kumar v. State of A.P., the Andhra Pradesh High Court discussed the scheme of the Gaming Act and specifically noted that Section 14 provides for payment of a portion of the fine to informants. The Court considered Sections 11–15 together while examining the statutory treatment of gaming offences. CaseMine

In The Tenali National Club v. Government of Andhra Pradesh, the Court considered an analogous provision relating to payment of a portion of gaming fines. It observed that such payment arises after conviction and is intended for informants or persons assisting in detection, rather than functioning as an automatic payment to every police officer involved in enforcement. Indian Kanoon

Thus, Section 14 is essentially an incentive provision designed to encourage information leading to successful enforcement of the Telangana Gaming Act, while retaining judicial discretion and safeguards against premature distribution.