17. Special mode of recovery

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any law or contract to the contrary, the Commissioner may, at any time, or from time to time, by notice in writing, a copy of which shall be forwarded to the assessee at his last address known to the Commissioner, require-

(a) any person from whom any amount of money is due, or may become due, to an assessee on whom notice of demand has been served under this Act, or

(b) Any person who holds or may subsequently hold money for or on account of such assessee,

to pay the Commissioner, either forthwith upon the money becoming due or being held or at or within the time specified in the notice (but not before the money becomes due or is held as aforesaid), so much of the money as is sufficient to pay the amount due by the assessee in respect of the arrears of tax, penalty and interest under this Act, or the whole of the money when it is equal to or less than that amount.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, the amount of money due to an assessee from, or money held for or on account of an assessee by, any person shall be calculated after deducting there from such claims (if any) lawfully subsisting, as may have fallen due for payment by such assessee to such person.

(2) The Commissioner may, at any time or from time to time amend or revoke any such notice, or extend the time for making any payment in pursuance of the notice.

(3) Any person making any payment in compliance with a notice under this section shall be deemed to have made the payment under the authority of the assessee, and the receipt of the Commissioner shall constitute a good and sufficient discharge of the liability of such person, to the extent of the amount referred to in the receipt.

(4) Any person discharging any liability to the assessee after receipt of the notice referred to in this section, shall be personally liable to the Commissioner to the extent of the liability discharged, or the extent of the liability of the assessee for tax, penalty and interest, whichever is less.

(5) Where a person whom a notice under this section is sent proves to the satisfaction of the Commissioner that the sum demanded or any part thereof is not due to the assessee or that he does not hold any money for on account of the assessee, then nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to require such person to pay any such sum or part thereof, as the case may be, to the Commissioner.

(6) Any amount of money which a person is required to pay to the Commissioner or for which he is personally liable to the Commissioner under this section, shall if it remains unpaid be recoverable as an arrear of land revenue.