38 Failure to maintain correct accounts and to furnish correct returns

38. If a dealer has maintained false or incorrect accounts or documents with a view to suppressing his sales, purchases, imports into State, exports out of State, or stocks, of goods, or has concealed any particulars in respect thereof or has furnished to or produced before any authority under this Act or the rules made thereunder any account, return, document or information which is false or incorrect in any material particular, such authority may, after affording such dealer a reasonable opportunity of being heard, direct him to pay by way of penalty, in addition to the tax to which he is assessed or is liable to be assessed, a sum thrice the amount of tax which would have been avoided had such account, return, document or information, as the case may be, been accepted as true and correct.