Power to search and seize

Power to search and seize. -

1. (1) Any game officer or police officer not below the rank of a sub-inspector may, if he has reasonable grounds for believing that any person has committed an offence against this Act,
   • (a) require any such person to produce for his inspection any trophy, meat or any other product of a wild animal in his possession or any licence, permit or other document issued to him or required to be kept by him under the provisions of this Act;
   • (b) stop, enter, search or detain any vehicle or boat in or upon which he has reason to believe that any wild animal or any trophy, meat or any other product of a wild animal in respect of which an offence against this Act has been committed is being carried, or may open and search any baggage or other thing in the possession of such person;
   • (c) seize and detain any such trophy, meat or product of a wild animal, or any such vehicle, boat, baggage or other thing, or any weapon, trap, net or other contrivance used in the commission of such offence: Provided that the officer who seizes any such property under this section shall forthwith report such seizure to the magistrate having jurisdiction to try the offence on account of which the seizure has been made.
2. (2) Every officer seizing any property under this section shall place on such property a mark indicating that the same has been so seized and shall, as soon as may be, make a report of such seizure to the officer-in-charge of the nearest police station.