2562
Search, arrest,
seizure, and forfeiture.
No. 8 of 1920.
SOCIETIES.
(6) Every person who contravenes any provision of this Ordinance in respect of which no specific penalty is provided shall upon summary conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars and to imprisonment for any term not exceeding three months.
6. (1) Whenever it appears to a magistrate upon the oath of any person that there is reasonable cause to suspect-
(a) that a meeting of an unlawful society, or of persons who are members of an unlawful society, is being held or is about to be held in any place; or
(b) that any books, accounts, lists of members, writings, banners, insignia, seals, or other things, whatsoever, belonging to, or connected with, or intended to be used for the purposes of, an unlawful society, are to be found in any place; or
(c) that any place is being or has been used, or is about to be used, for the purposes of an unlawful society; or
(d) that any evidence of the existence of an unlawful society is to be found in any place,
the magistrate may, by warrant directed to any public officer, empower such officer and his assistants to enter and search such place, by day or by night, using force if necessary.
(2) Such officer and his assistants may seize and detain any books, accounts, lists of members, writings, banners, insignia, seals, or other things, which appear to belong to, or to be connected with, or to be intended to be used for the purposes of, an unlawful society, or which may appear to indicate the existence of an unlawful society, and may arrest any person found on such place or escaping therefrom and may detain any such person until he can conveniently be brought before a magistrate.
(3) The powers conferred by a warrant issued under sub-section (1) may be exercised without warrant by any justice of the peace or by any public officer accompanied by a justice of the peace.
(4) No person shall resist or obstruct any such search, arrest or seizure.
(5) It shall be lawful for a magistrate to forfeit anything duly seized under any power conferred by or under this section.