Consumer Credit Act 2025 · Updated to 31 Dec 2025 · Part VIII · Examination and Investigation
97. Search of person
Feedback & supportAn investigating officer may search any person whom he has reason to believe has in his possession, including on his person, any document, securities held in respect of credit consumers’ transactions, titles, cash, goods, things, property, apparatus, equipment, machinery, computer, computer output, system, data, programmes, information or article necessary, in his opinion, for the purpose of investigation into any offence under this Act.
person
“person” includes an individual, any sole proprietorship, corporation, statutory body, local authority, society, trade union, co-operative society, partnership and any other body, organization, association or group of persons, whether corporate or unincorporate;
For the purposes of a search of a person under subsection (1)
or section 92 or 94, an investigating officer may, subject to the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code, detain such person as may be necessary to have the search carried out, and may remove him in custody to such place as may be necessary to facilitate such search.
An investigating officer making a search of a person under subsection (1) may seize, detain or take possession of any document, securities held in respect of credit consumers’
document
“document” has the meaning assigned to it in section 3 of the Evidence Act 1950, and includes books as defined in the Companies Act 2016 and documents of title to assets;
transactions, titles, cash, goods, things, property, apparatus, equipment, machinery, computer, computer output, system, data, programmes, information or article, found upon such person for the purpose of the investigation being carried out by him.
property
“property” means— (a) assets of every kind, whether corporeal or incorporeal, moveable or immovable, tangible or intangible, however acquired; (b) legal documents or instruments in any form, including electronic or digital, evidencing title to, or interest in, such assets, including bank credits, traveller’s cheques, bank cheques, money orders, shares, securities, bonds, drafts and letters of credit; or (c) any right, interest, title, claim, chose in action, power or privilege, whether present or future, or whether vested or contingent, in relation to any property, or which is otherwise of value;
Any search of a person conducted under this Part shall be in accordance with the provisions in the Criminal Procedure
Code.
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No person shall be searched except by a person who is of the same gender, and such search shall be conducted with strict regard to decency.
For the purposes of a search conducted under this section by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, where the investigating officer is a police officer, such police officer shall be a senior police officer.