Power of authorised officer to require production of records or documents and power of entry, inspection and seizure

(1) The Registrar, Assistant Registrar or any Officer authorised by the State Government in this behalf may, for the purpose of verifying whether the business of money-lending is carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Act, enter the premises of the money lender or any person who in his opinion is carrying on the business of money-lending and call upon him to produce any record or document relating to such business and every such money lender or person shall allow such inspection and produce such record or document. (2) The Registrar, Assistant Registrar or the other officer referred to in sub-section (1) may, for the purposes of the said sub-section, search the premises and seize any record and document as may be necessary. The record or document seized shall be retained only for such period as may be necessary for the purposes of examination, prosecution or other legal action: Provided that the provisions of sections 100 and 102 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Central Act 2 of 1974) shall, so far as may be, apply to such search and seizure: Provided further that for every record or document seized, appropriate acknowledgement shall be given to the person from whose custody it is seized. (3) The Registrar, Assistant Registrar or the other officer referred to in sub-section (1) shall also have power to summon and examine the money lender or any person who in his opinion is in a position to furnish relevant information. (4) The Group B Officer of Revenue Department or Rural Development and Panchayath Raj Department or Urban Development Department or Town Planning Department or Woman and Child Development Department or Social Welfare Department or Minority Welfare Department or Tribal Welfare Department or Backward Classes Welfare Department shall report if any person is in contravention of the provisions of this Act and the Karnataka Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act, 2004 (Karnataka Act 14 of 2004) to the concerned Registrar, Assistant Registrar or any Officer authorized by the State Government, in this behalf. (5) The Registrar, the Assistant Registrar or any Officer authorized may on his own motion or on the report submitted by the Officers referred in sub-section (1), shall take action under the provisions of this Act. In section 15 of Principal Act, after sub-section (3), the following sub- sections shall be inserted, namely:- (4) The Group B Officer of Revenue Department or Rural Development and Panchayath Raj Department or Urban Development Department or Town Planning Department or Woman and Child Development Department or Social Welfare Department or Minority Welfare Department or Tribal Welfare Department or Backward Classes Welfare Department shall report if any person is in contravention of the provisions of this Act and the Karnataka Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act, 2004 (Karnataka Act 14 of 2004) to the concerned Registrar, Assistant Registrar or any Officer authorized by the State Government, in this behalf. (5) The Registrar, the Assistant Registrar or any Officer authorized may on his own motion or on the report submitted by the Officers referred in sub-section (1), shall take action under the provisions of this Act.