Imprisonment Risk for Inspector Obstruction

This provision makes obstructing an inspector a criminal offense punishable by 6 months to 2 years imprisonment and fines of 2,000-5,000 penalty units. The term "obstructs" is undefined, creating uncertainty about what conduct triggers criminal liability - potentially including questioning inspector authority, requesting proper authorization, or refusing requests that exceed legal powers. Combined with the broad inspector powers in 65 to enter premises and seize equipment, this creates a chilling effect on legitimate business operations where companies may comply with unlawful requests rather than risk criminal prosecution. International practice treats regulatory obstruction as an administrative matter with fines, not imprisonment - this provision's criminal sanctions are disproportionate and create significant operational risk, particularly for startups and SMEs lacking legal resources to confidently navigate inspector interactions.