Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say,—
         (a) when in command of guard, picket, patrol or post, releases without proper authority, whether wilfully or without reasonable excuse, any person committed to his charge, or refuses to receive any prisoner or person so committed; or
         (b) wilfully or without reasonable excuse allows to escape any person who is committed to his charge, or whom it is his duty to keep or guard,
shall, on conviction by an Assam Rifles Court, be liable, if he has acted wilfully, to suffer imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years or such less punishment as is in this Act mentioned; and if he has not acted wilfully, to suffer imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or such less punishment as is in this Act mentioned.