(1) If it is deemed appropriate to send a drug abuser or an offender suffering from physical or mental illness or other similar offenders to a rehabilitation center instead of going to prison, the court may send such an offender to a rehabilitation center on the recommendation of the probation officer. Explanation For the purposes of this section, "rehabilitation center" means an institution established for the purpose of providing treatment and rehabilitation services to offenders suffering from drug addiction or other addictions or physical or mental disabilities.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), sub-section
of section 24 The offender who commits the offense mentioned in (3) cannot be sent to the rehabilitation center.
(3) According to sub-section (1), when the offender is sent to the rehabilitation center, the conditions to be followed shall also be specified.
(4) If the offender complies with the terms of sub-section (3) and pays the imprisonment period in the rehabilitation center, he shall be deemed to have paid the imprisonment period.
(5) Notwithstanding anything else written in this section, if the behavior of the offender in the rehabilitation center does not improve or if he does not comply with the conditions as per sub-section (3) or if he commits any offense punishable by imprisonment during such period, he shall pay the full period of imprisonment in prison as per this section.