s 38 Protection of informers
38.—(1) Except as hereinafter provided, no witness in any civil or criminal proceeding shall be obliged or permitted to disclose the name or address of an informer or the substance of the information received from him or state any matter which might lead to his discovery. (2) If any books, documents or papers which are in evidence or liable to inspection in any civil or criminal proceeding whatsoever contain any entry in which any informer is named or described or which might lead to his discovery, the court shall cause all such passages to be concealed from view or to be obliterated so far only as may be necessary to protect the informer from discovery. (3) If on the trial for any offence under this Act or any regulations made thereunder the court after full inquiry into the case believes that the informer wilfully made in his complaint a material statement which he knew or believed to be false or did not believe to be true, or if in any other proceeding the court is of opinion that justice cannot be fully done between the parties thereto without the discovery of the informer, it shall be lawful for the court to require the production of the original complaint, if in writing, and permit inquiry, and require full disclosure, concerning the informer.