Kautilya's Arthashastra 9.6.2

9.6.2

dūṣyaśuddhāyāṃ paureṣu jānapadeṣu vā daṇḍavarjān upāyān prayuñjīta //

In order to separate citizens and country-people from traitors, the king should employ all the strategic means, except coercion. It is very difficult to inflict punishment on an assembly of influential men; and if inflicted at all, it may not produce the desired effect, but may give rise to undesirable consequences. He may, however, take steps against the leaders of the seditious as shown in the chapter on "Awards of Punishments."