Section 3IK in The Gujarat Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1963
3IK. Power to order production of accounts of entry, inspection and seizure.
(1)The Director or an officer authorized by the State Government in this behalf may, for the purposes of this Chapter, require any person carrying on business in any kind of agricultural produce to produce before him the accounts and other documents and to furnish any information relating to stocks of such agricultural produce or purchase, sale, processing value addition and delivery of such agricultural produce by such person and also to furnish any other information relating to payment of market fees.(2)All accounts and registers maintained by any person in the ordinary course of business of any agricultural produce and documents relating to stocks of such agricultural produce or purchase, sale, processing, value addition of such agricultural produce in his possession and offices, establishment, godowns, vessels or vehicles of such persons shall be kept open for inspection at all reasonable time by the Director or such officer.(3)If the Director or such officer has reason to believe that any person is attempting to evade the payment of any market fee due from him under this Chapter or that any person has purchased, sold, processed or value added to any agricultural produce in contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or the rules or the bye-laws, he may seize such accounts, registers or documents of such a 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 prosecution.(4)For the purposes of sub-section (2) or sub-section (3), the Director or such officer may enter or search any place of business, warehouse, office, establishment, godown, vessel or vehicle where the Director or such officer has reason to believe that such person keeps or for the time being has kept accounts, registers or documents of his business or stock of agricultural produce relating to the business.(5)The provisions of sub-sections (4) to (8) of section 100 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1973), shall, so far as may be, apply to a search or seizure made under this section.(6)Where any books of accounts or other documents are seized from any place and there are such entries therein making reference to quantity, quotations, rates, receipts or payment of money or sale or purchase of goods, such books of accounts or other documents shall be admitted in evidence and such entries shall be the prima facie evidence of matters, transactions and accounts purported to have been recorded therein.
