Report of probation officer to be confidential.-~The report of a probation office — THE PROBATION OF OFFENDERS ACT, 1958

Report of probation officer to be confidential.-~The report of a probation office

7. Report of probation officer to be confidential.-~The report of a probation officer referred to in sub-section (2) of section 4 or sub-section (2) of section 6 shall be treated as confidential: Provided that the court may, if it so thinks fit; communicate the substance thereof to the offender and may give him an opportunity of producing such evidence as may be relevant to the matter stated in the report. 8_ Variation of conditions of probation. (1) If, on the application of a probation officer, any court which passes an order under section 4 in respect of an offender is of opinion that in the interests of the offender and the public it is expedient Or necessary to vary the conditions of any bond entered into by the offender; it may, at any time during the period when the bond is effective, vary the bond by extending O 3 diminishing the duration thereof so, however; that it shall not exceed three years from the date of the original order or by altering the conditions thereof or by inserting additional conditions therein: Provided that no such variation shall be made without giving the offender and the surety or sureties mentioned in the bond an opportunity of being heard. (2) If any surety refuses to consent to any variation proposed to be made under sub-section (1), the court may require the offender to enter into a fresh bond and if the offender refuses o fails to do SO, the court may sentence him for the offence of which he was found guilty. (3) Notwithstanding anything hereinbefore contained, the court which passes an order under section 4 in respect of an offender may, if it is satisfied on an application made by the probation officer; that the conduct of the offender has been such as to make it unnecessary that he should be kept any longer under supervision, discharge the bond or bonds entered into by him: 9_ Procedure in case of offender failing to observe conditions of bond. (1) If the court which passes an order under section 4 in respect of an offender or any court which could have dealt with the offender in respect of his original offence has reason to believe, on the report of probation officer Or otherwise, that the offender has failed to observe any of the conditions of the bond or bonds entered into by him, it may issue a warrant for his arrest O may, if it thinks fit; issue a summons to him and his sureties, if any, requiring him or them to attend before it at such time as may be specified in the summons. (2 The court before which an offender is so brought o appears may either remand him to custody until the case is concluded or it may grant him bail, with or without surety, to appear on the date which it may fix for hearing: (3) If the court, after hearing the case, is satisfied that the offender has failed to observe any of the conditions of the bond or bonds entered into by him; it may forthwith sentence him for the original offence; O (b) where the failure is for the first time, then, without prejudice to the continuance in force of the bond, impose upon him a penalty not exceeding fifty rupees. If a penalty imposed under clause (b) of sub-section (3) is not paid within such period as the court may fix, the court may sentence the offender for the original offence.

Section Section 7