Powers to order production of accounts and powers of entry and inspection

(1) Any Licensing Authority or appellate authority, may, for the purposes of this Act, by notice require any Pawn Broker,- (a)to produce or cause to be produce before him any accounts, registers, records or other documents; or (b)to furnish or cause to be furnished any other information relating to his business within such time as may be specified in such notice and such Pawn Broker shall comply with such requisition. (2)Any Inspector or Licensing Authority may, at any reasonable time, with or without the assistance of police officers or other officers enter any place of business or office of the Pawn Broker and inspect any cash, accounts, registers, records, safes, vaults or other documents in such premises. (3)If any officer referred to in this section, has reason to believe, that the Pawn Broker has violated any of the provisions of this Act or the rules made there under, he may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, enter and search the place of business of the Pawn Broker or any other place which includes any godown, building, vessels, vehicle, box or receptacle, where the Pawn Broker keeps or is reasonably believed to be keeping any accounts, registers, other records, documents or pledges relating to his business; Provided that no residential building or premises shall be entered or searched unless such officer is specifically authorised in writing by an officer not below the rank of Mandal Revenue Officer. (4)All searches under this section shall, so far as may be, made in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Central Act 2 of 1974).

(5)The Officer making the inspection or search may seize such accounts, registers, records or other documents as he considers necessary and on such seizure shall grant the Pawn Broker a receipt of the things so seized. (6)The accounts, registers, records or other documents seized under sub-section (5) shall not be retained by the officer seizing them, beyond a period of thirty days from the date of the seizure except with the permission of the next higher authority, unless they are required for any prosecution under this Act. (7)The power conferred by sub-sections (3) and (5) shall include,-

1. (a) the power to break open any box or receptacle, safe, vault or door of any premises in which any accounts, registers, records or pledges of the Pawn Broker are kept or reasonably suspected to be kept: Provided that the power to break open the door shall be exercised only after the owner or any other person in occupation of the premises fails or refuses to open the same on being called upon to do so.
2. (b) the power to seal any box, receptacle, room or building where any accounts, registers or other documents are kept or reasonably believed to be kept and if the owner or any other person in occupation leaves the premises or refuses to open the box, receptacle, room or building or is not available, then to break open such box, receptable, room or building on authorisation in writing by the officer referred to in subsection

1. (3) of this section:
   • (c) the power to search any person who has got out of or is about to get into or is in any place referred to in subsection (2) of this section, if the officer has reason to suspect that such person has secreted about his person, any accounts, registers, records or other documents.