Power to check and seize motor vehicles.

(1) Any Police Officer in uniform or other officer of the State Government not below such rank as may be specified by the State Government by a notification, may- (a) check any motor vehicle either in any garage after the sun-set or before the sun-rise or stop and check any motor vehicle plying on the road for the purpose of satisfying himself that the tax payable under this Act in respect of such vehicle has been paid; and (b) seize and detain the vehicle if he is authorised by the State Government in this behalf and if he has reasons to believe that any motor vehicle has been or is being used or kept for use in contravention of the provisions of sections 5, 7 and 8 may take or cause to be taken such steps as he may consider necessary for the temporary safe custody of the vehicle so seized and detained unless the owner or the person in charge of the vehicle executes a bond for the production thereof before a court when so required. (2) Any motor vehicle seized and detained under clause (b) of sub-section (1) shall be produced before the court within twenty-four hours of such seizure and the court shall thereupon pass such orders as it may think fit for the disposal of the vehicle. (3) Where any bond is executed under clause (b) of sub-section (1) for the production of any motor vehicle before the court, the provisions of section 514 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 shall, as far as may be, apply to such bond.