Section 14
General powers of Price Controller and other officers
The Price Controller, the Deputy Price Controller, any
Assistant Price Controller, any person authorized in writing by any of them, or any police officer not below the rank of Sub-Inspector may—
(a)
seize any price-controlled goods in respect of which he has reasonable grounds for believing that an offence against this Act has been committed together with the containers, vessels, packages, vehicles or other conveyances in or on which the same are found or which have been used in connection with the offence (in this section referred to as
“accompanying appliances”) and may detain the goods and accompanying appliances pending the institution of any proceedings against any person for the offence;
(b)
enter and inspect any premises in the occupation or under the control of any person carrying on any trade or business in which price-controlled goods are sold and seize any book, document or other thing found in the premises which may furnish evidence of the commission of an offence against this Act;
(c)
examine any book, account, or other document relating to the trade or business of any such person, and require a copy of any such book, account or other document or of the record of any transaction duly certified by that person, and further require that any such book, account or other document be deposited at the office of the Price Controller or Assistant
Price Controller for examination; and, where any such book, account or other document or any record is in a language other than the national language or English may, if he is satisfied that such person can provide a translation thereof in the national language or English, require such a translation; or
(d)
require any person to submit to him samples of any price-controlled goods in which he deals.
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(2)
Where any price-controlled goods have been seized under paragraph (1)(a), then—
(a)
if, within ninety days of the seizure, no proceedings are instituted against any person for an offence alleged to have been committed in relation to those goods—
(i)
the Price Controller shall restore the goods and accompanying appliances to the person from whom they were seized, if he can be found; or
(ii)
if the person from whom the goods were seized cannot be found, the Price Controller shall direct that the matter be referred to a Magistrate for a decision as to the disposal of the goods; or
(b)
if, within ninety days of the seizure, proceedings are instituted against any person, an order for the forfeiture or for the release of any goods seized shall be made by the court before which the prosecution with regard thereto has been held:
Provided that where any goods which have been seized under paragraph (1)(a) are of a perishable nature they may be sold by the order of the Price Controller, the Deputy
Price Controller or any Assistant Price Controller and this subsection shall apply to the disposal of the proceeds of the sale in the same manner as they would have applied to the disposal of those goods if the goods had not been sold.
(3)
Any Police Officer may, either of his own motion or on information received from the Price Controller or any other person, arrest without warrant any person whom he reasonably suspects, of having committed an offence against this Act, if the person refuses to furnish his name or address or there are reasonable grounds for believing that he has furnished a false name or address or that he is likely to abscond.
(4)
For the purpose of this section, the expression “price-controlled goods” shall include any goods or classes of goods in respect of which the Price Controller has prescribed marks or labels to be displayed under paragraph 13(1)(d).
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Offence to obstruct authorities