40. Protection of informants

Except as hereinafter provided, no complaint as to an offence or any proceedings under this Act shall be admitted in evidence in any civil or criminal proceedings whatsoever, and no witness shall be obliged or permitted to disclose the name or address of any informer or state any matter which might lead to his discovery.

If any books, documents or papers which are in evidence or liable to inspection in any civil or criminal proceedings whatsoever contain any entry in which any informer is named or described or which might lead to his discovery, the court before which the proceeding is had shall cause all such passage to be concealed from view or to be obliterated so far as is necessary to protect the informer from discovery.