70. Power of Excise Officer to search without warrant.
- Whenever any Excise Officer not below such rank as the Chief Commissioner may, by notification, prescribe, has reason to believe that an offence punishable under Section 46, Section 48, Section 52 or Section 53 has been, is being, or is likely to be, committed or abetted, and that a search-warrant cannot be obtained without affording the offender an opportunity of escaping or of concealing evidence of the offence ;he may, after recording the grounds of his belief, at any time by day or night enter and search any place, and may seize anything found therein which he has reason to believe to be liable to confiscation under this Act; andmay detain and search, and if he thinks proper, arrest any person found in such place whom he has reason to believe to have committed or abetted any such offence as aforesaid.
