Section 12 in The Punjab Wild Life Preservation Act, 1959
12. Power to apprehend and arrest to seize property.
(1)Any Forest Officer, Wild Life Officer or Police Officer or any other person authorised in this behalf by the rules made under this Act -(a)may, if he has reasonable grounds for believing that any person has committed an offence under this Act :-(i)require such person to produce for his inspection any wild bird, wild animal or flesh in his possession, or any licence, permit or other document issued to him or required to be kept by him under the provisions of this Act; or(ii)enter and search any land, hotel, restaurant, vehicle or boat in the occupation of such person and open and search any baggage or other things in his possession :Provided that no Wild Life Officer below the rank of an Inspector, or a Police Officer below the rank of a Sub-Inspector or a Forest Officer below the rank of a Range Officer shall enter or search any hotel or restaurant; or(b)may arrest, without warrant any person who commits or is reasonably suspected by such officer of having committed an offence under this Act, if he has reasonable ground for believing that such person will abscond unless arrested, or if the name and address of that person are unknown to such officer and the person refuses on a demand of such officer to give his name and address or gives a name and address which such officer has reason to believe to be false.(2)Every person arrested under sub-section (1) for having refused to give his name and address or giving a false name and address shall be released on giving his correct name and address.(3)Should the true name and address of such person be not ascertained within twenty-four hours from the time of arrest, he shall forthwith be produced before the nearest Magistrate having jurisdiction.(4)Any officer who is empowered to make arrests may seize all guns, fire-arms and ammunition as well as all trophies, dogs, nets, snares or other appliances found in possession of any person who is arrested or against whom a reasonable suspicion exists of having been concerned in any offence punishable under this Act.(5)A list of all articles seized under sub-section (4) shall be prepared by such officer and signed by two or more witnesses.
