38. Collector, Claims Officer and Compensation Officer to have powers of a Civil Court and inquiry conducted by them to be deemed to be judicial proceeding.
(1)The Collector, for the purposes of inquiries under Sections 4, 5, 6 and 7, a Claims Officer, for the purposes of inquiries under Section 16, a Compensation Officer, for the purposes of inquiries under Chapter V and VI, a Tribunal for the purposes of inquiries under Sections 12, 25 and 31, and the Commission for the purposes of inquiries under Section 34 shall have power to summon and enforce the attendance of witnesses or of any person having an interest in the subject matter of such inquiry and to compel the production of documents by the same means and, so far as may be, in the same manner as is provided in the case of a Civil Court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908).(2)Every such inquiry conducted by the Collector or a Claims Officer or a Compensation Officer or a Tribunal or the Commission shall be deemed to be a "Judicial proceeding" within the meanings of Sections 193 and 228, and for the purposes of Section 196, of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), and every statement made by any person examined by or before him with reference to such inquiry, whether upon oath or otherwise, shall be taken to be evidence within the meaning of the same Code.
