- Any Abkari Officer or other person who, without reasonable ground of suspicion, enters or searches or causes to be searched any closed place; or vexatiously and unnecessarily seizes the property of any person on the pretence of seizing or searching for anything liable to confiscation under this Act; or vexatiously and unnecessarily detains, searches or arrests any person; or in any other way vexatiously exceeds his lawful powers; shall, [on conviction before a competent court be punished for each such offence, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to twenty five thousand rupees or with both;] [Substituted for the words 'on conviction before a magistrate, be punished for each such offence, with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with both', by Act 16 of 1997 with effect from 3/6/1997.]
