Power to search without warrant

Whenever the Excise Commissioner or a Deputy Commissioner or any police officer not below the rank of an officer in-charge of a police station duly empowered in that behalf or any Excise Officer not below the rank of Excise Sub-Inspector, has reason to believe that an offence under section 31, section 32, section 33, section 35, or section 36 has been, is being, or is likely to be, committed, and that a search warrant cannot be obtained without affording the offender an opportunity of escape or of concealing evidence of the offence, he may, after recording the grounds of his belief --- (a) at any time by day or by night enter and search any place and seize anything found therein which he has reason to believe to be liable to confiscation under this Act; and (b) detain and search, if he thinks proper, arrest any person found in such place whom he has reason to believe to be guilty of such offence as aforesaid.