(1)No person arrested under this Act shall be detained in custody for a longer period than under all the circumstances of the case is reasonable; and such period [shall not, without the authority of a Magistrate, exceed twenty-four hours,] [Substituted by section 57(1) of the Bengal Excise (Amendment) Act, 1965 (West Bengal Act 39 of 1965) for the words shall not exceed twenty-four hourSection] exclusive of the time necessary for the journey from the place of arrest [to the Court of the nearest Magistrate.] [Substituted by section 57(2), ibid for the words, figures and brackets to the place where a Collector or an Excise Officer empowered under section 73, sub-section (2), to investigate the case may be, and thence to the Court of a Magistrate having jurisdiction to inquire into or try the case.]
