Section 20 in The M.P. Krishi Upaj Mandi Adhiniyam, 1972
20. Power to order production of accounts and powers of entry, inspection and seizure.
(1)[The Secretary of the Market Committee or any officer or servant of the State Government or the Board] [Substituted by M.P. Act No. 27 of 1997 (w.e.f. 15-6-1997).] empowered by the State Government in this behalf, may, for purposes of this Act, require any person carrying on business in any kind of notified agricultural produce to produce before him the accounts and other documents and to furnish any information relating to the stocks of such agricultural produce, or purchase, sale and delivery of such agricultural produce by such person and also to furnish any other information relating to payment of the market fees by such person.(2)All accounts and registers maintained by any person in the ordinary course of business in any notified agricultural produce and documents relating to the stocks of such agricultural produce or purchases, sales and deliveries of such agricultural produce in his possession and the offices, establishments, godowns, vessels or vehicles of such person shall be open to inspection at all reasonable times by such officers and servants of the Board or the Market Committee as may be authorised by the State Government in this behalf.(3)If any such officer or servant has reason to suspect that any person is attempting to evade the payment of any market fee due from him under Section 19 or that any person has purchased any notified agricultural produce in contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or the rules, or the bye-laws in force in the market areas, he may for reasons to be recorded in writing, seize such accounts, registers or documents of such person as may be necessary, and shall grant a receipt for the same and shall retain the same only so long as may be necessary for examination thereof or for a prosecution.(4)For purposes of sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) such officer or servant may enter or search any place of business, warehouse, office, establishment, godown, vessel or vehicle where such officer or servant has reason to believe that such person keeps or for the time being kept accounts, registers or documents of his business, or stock of notified agricultural produce relating to his business.(5)The provisions of Sections 102 and 103 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Act No. II of 1974), shall, so far as may be, apply to a search under sub-section (4).(6)Where any books of account or other documents are seized from any place and there are entries therein making reference to quantity, quotations, rates, receipt or payment of money or sale or purchase of goods, such books of account or other documents shall be admitted in evidence without witness having to appear to prove the same, and such entries shall be prima facie evidence of matters, transactions and accounts purported to be therein recorded.
