Section 17 in The ANCIENT MONUMENTS PRESERVATION ACT, 1977(1920 A.D.)
17. Power of Government to control traffic in antiquities.––
(1)If 1[the Government] apprehends that antiquities are being sold or removed to the detrimentof the State or of any neighbouring country, it may, by notification in the GovernmentGazette, prohibit or restrict the bringing or taking of any antiquities or class ofantiquities described in the notification into or out of the State or any specified Part of – the State.(2)Any persons who brings or takes or attempts to bring or take any suchantiquities into or out of the State or any part of the State in contravention of anotification issued under sub-section (1), shall be punishable with fine which mayextend to 1[twenty thousand rupees, or with imprisonment which may extend tothree months or with both].(3)Antiquities in respect of which an offence referred to in sub-section (2)has been committed shall be liable to confiscation.(4)A Revenue Officer not lower in rank than a Naib-Tehsildar, 2[an Officer ofPolice not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police or an Officer ofArchaeology Department not below the rank of Assistant Director], duly empoweredby 3[the Government] in this behalf, may search any vessel, cart or other means ofconveyance, and may open any baggage or package of goods, if he has reasons tobelieve that goods in respect of which an offence has been committed under sub-section (2) are contained therein.(5)A person who complains that the power of search mentioned in sub-section (4) has been vexatiously or improperly exercised may address his complaintto 3[the Government] and 3[the Government] shall pass such order and may awardsuch compensation, if any, as appears to it to be just.PROTECTION OF SCULPTURES, CARVINGS, IMAGES, BASRELIEFS,INSCRIPTIONS OR LIKE OBJECTS
