(1)The Government or any authority or officer empowered by them may, by notification, appoint one or more persons to be Inspectors for the purposes of this Act and specify in such notification the local limits of their jurisdiction.(2)Every Inspector shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code (Central Act XLV of 1860).(3)(a)[A District Magistrate, an Additional District Magistrate, or a Sub-Divisional Magistrate] [Substituted for the words 'A Magistrate of the first class in the mufassal or a Presidency Magistrate in the Presidency town' by section 5(i) of the Tamil Nadu Money-Lenders (Amendment) Act, 1979 (Tamil Nadu Act 41 of 1979).] may, on receiving a report from an Inspector that a person carries on without a licence or that a money-lender carries on in contravention of the provisions of this Act or the conditions of the licence granted thereunder the business of money-lending at any place within the jurisdiction of such Magistrate, issue a warrant empowering the Inspector to enter such place with such assistants as he considers necessary and inspect the books, accounts, records, files, documents, [securities, safes and vaults] [Substituted for the words 'safes, vaults and pledges' by section 5(ii), of the Tamil Nadu Money-Lenders (Amendment) Act, 1979 (Tamil Nadu Act 41 of 1979).] in such premises. On receiving such warrant, the Inspector may enter the place and inspect the books, accounts, records, files, documents, [securities, safes and vaults] [Substituted for the words 'safes, vaults and pledges' by section 5(ii), of the Tamil Nadu Money-Lenders (Amendment) Act, 1979 (Tamil Nadu Act 41 of 1979).] in such premises and may take to his office for further investigation such books, accounts, records, files, [documents and securities] [Substituted for the words 'and documents' by section 5(iii) of the Tamil Nadu Money-Lenders (Amendment) Act, 1979 (Tamil Nadu Act 41 of 1979).] as he considers necessary:Provided that if the Inspector removes from the premises any books, accounts, records, files, [documents and securities] [Substituted for the words 'and documents' by section 5(iii) of the Tamil Nadu Money-Lenders (Amendment) Act, 1979 (Tamil Nadu Act 41 of 1979).], he shall give to the person in charge of the place, a receipt describing the books, accounts, records, files, [documents and securities] [Substituted for the words 'and documents' by section 5(iii) of the Tamil Nadu Money-Lenders (Amendment) Act, 1979 (Tamil Nadu Act 41 of 1979).] so removed by him:Provided further that within twenty-four hours of the removal of the books, accounts, records, files, [documents and securities] [Substituted for the words 'and documents' by section 5(iii) of the Tamil Nadu Money-Lenders (Amendment) Act, 1979 (Tamil Nadu Act 41 of 1979).] from the premises, the Inspector shall either return them to the person from whose custody they were removed or produce them in the Court of the Magistrate who issued the warrant. Such Magistrate may return the books, accounts, records, files, [documents and securities] [Substituted for the words 'and documents' by section 5(iii) of the Tamil Nadu Money-Lenders (Amendment) Act, 1979 (Tamil Nadu Act 41 of 1979).] or any of them to the person from whose custody they were removed by the Inspector after taking from such person such security as the Magistrate considers necessary for the production of the books, accounts, records, files, [documents and securities] [Substituted for the words 'and documents' by section 5(iii) of the Tamil Nadu Money-Lenders (Amendment) Act, 1979 (Tamil Nadu Act 41 of 1979).] when required whether by the Inspector or by the Court or may pass such other orders as to their disposal as appear just and convenient to the Magistrate.(b)An Inspector shall have authority to require any person whose testimony he may require regarding any loan or any money-lending business, to attend before him or to produce or cause to be produced any document and to examine such person on oath.(4)An Inspector may apply for assistance to an officer in charge of a police station and take police officers to accompany and assist the Inspector in performing his duties under this Act.
