(1) All expenses incurred under section 250 by an Indian consular officer in respect of the forwarding of a passenger to his destination including the cost of maintaining the passenger until forwarded to his destination shall be a debt due to the Central Government jointly and severally from the owner, charter, agent and master of the ship on board which the passenger had embarked.
     (2) In any proceeding for the recovery of that debt a certificate purporting to be under the hand of the Indian consular officer and stating the circumstances of the case and the total amount of the expenses shall be prima facie evidence of the amount of the expenses and of the facts that the same were duly incurred.