Power of Registrar to gather information

(1) The Registrar may, by notice in writing, require a person specified in sub-section (2) to– (a) provide, in accordance with directions in the notice, such information relevant to the that or the or with such information as the Registrar requires, and specified in the notice; (b) produce, in accordance with the directions in the notice, such records relevant to the that or the or to matters specified by the Registrar, as are specified in the notice and to permit examination of those records, the taking of extracts from them and the making of copies of them; or 45 (c) attend before the Registrar, or such person as may be designated by the Registrar, for examination in relation to any matters relevant to the moneylender, that associate or the or to matters specified by the Registrar, and to answer questions relating to those matters. (2) A notice under sub-section (1) may be issued to– (a) a moneylender; (b) a person the Registrar reasonably believes to be carrying on, or to have at any time carried on, moneylending business without a licence; (c) an associate of a person specified in paragraph (a) or (b); or (d) in the case of a notice requiring the production of documents, any person who the Registrar reasonably believes is in possession, or has control, of the documents. (3) Where records are produced under this section, the Registrar, or such person as may be designated by the Registrar to whom they are produced, may retain possession of the records for such period as may reasonably be necessary for an investigation to be carried out. (4) At any reasonable time during the period for which records are retained, the Registrar, or such person as may be designated by the Registrar, shall permit inspection of the records by a person who would be entitled to inspect them if they were not in the possession of the Registrar, or person designated by the Registrar. (5) A person, including a director, officer or employee of a moneylender, who provides information or produces records to 46 the Registrar in compliance with a notice under this section does not contravene any law, rule of law, agreement or professional code of conduct to which that person is subject, and no civil, criminal or disciplinary proceedings shall lie against him, or against the moneylender, in respect thereof.