Chapter VI ARREST AND PROCEEDINGS BEFORE TRIAL

(1) Any person subject to this Act who is charged with an offence may be taken into Force custody under the order of any superior officer. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), an officer may order into Force custody any other officer, though such other officer may be of a higher rank, engaged in a quarrel, affray or disorder.

(1) It shall be the duty of every commanding officer to take care that a person under his command when charged with an offence is not detained in custody for more than forty-eight hours after the committal of such person into custody is reported to him, without the charge being investigated, unless investigation within that period seems to him to be impracticable having regard to the public service. (2) The case of every person being detained in custody beyond a period of forty-eight hours, and the reasons therefor, shall be reported by the commanding officer to the next higher officer or such other officer to whom an application may be made to convene a Force Court for the trial of the person charged. (3) In reckoning the period of forty-eight hours specified in sub-section (1), Sundays and other public holidays shall be excluded. (4) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Central Government may make rules providing for the manner in which and the period for which any person subject to this Act may be taken into and detained in Force custody, pending the trial by any competent authority for any offence committed by him.

In every case where any such person as is mentioned in section 69 and as is not on active duty, remains in such custody for a longer period than eight days without a Force Court for his trial being convened, a special report giving reasons for the delay shall be made by his commanding officer in the manner prescribed, and a similar report shall be forwarded at intervals of every eight days until a Force Court is convened or such person is released from custody.

Whenever any person subject to this Act, who is accused of an offence under this Act, is within the jurisdiction of any magistrate or police officer, such magistrate or police officer shall aid in the apprehension and delivery to Force custody of such person upon receipt of a written application to that effect signed by his commanding officer or an officer authorised by the commanding officer in that behalf.

(1) Whenever any person subject to this Act deserts, the commanding officer of the unit to which he belongs or is attached, shall give information of the desertion to such civil authorities as, in his opinion, may be able to afford assistance towards the capture of the deserter; and such authorities shall thereupon take steps for the apprehension of the said deserter in like manner as if he were a person for whose apprehension a warrant had been issued by a magistrate, and shall deliver the deserter, when apprehended, into Force custody. (2) Any police officer may arrest without warrant any person reasonably believed to be subject to this Act, and to be a deserter or to be travelling without authority, and shall bring him without delay before the nearest magistrate, to be dealt with according to law.

(1) When any person subject to this Act has been absent from duty without due authority for a period of thirty days, a court of inquiry shall, as soon as practicable, be appointed by such authority and in such manner as may be prescribed; and such court shall, on oath or affirmation administered in the prescribed manner, inquire respecting the absence of the person, and the deficiency, if any, in the property of the Government entrusted to his care, or in any arms, ammunition, equipment, instruments, clothing or necessaries; and if satisfied of the fact of such absence without due authority or other sufficient cause, the court shall declare such absence and the period thereof and the said deficiency, if any, and the commanding officer of the unit to which the person belongs or is attached, shall make a record thereof in the prescribed manner. (2) If the person declared absent does not afterwards surrender or is not apprehended, he shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to be a deserter.

(1) The Director-General or any prescribed officer may appoint persons (in this Act referred to as Force Police) for discharging the functions specified in sub-sections (2) and (3). (2) The duties of a person appointed under sub-section (1) are to take charge of persons confined for any offence, to preserve good order and discipline and to prevent breaches of the same by persons serving in, or attached to the Force. (3) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 69, a person appointed under sub-section (1) may, at any time, arrest and detain for trial any person subject to this Act who commits, or is charged with, an offence, and may also carry into effect any punishment to be inflicted in pursuance of a sentence awarded by a Force Court or by an officer exercising authority under section 56 but shall not inflict any punishment on his own authority: Provided that no officer shall be so arrested or detained otherwise than on the order of another officer.