54. [ Power to search without a warrant. [Substituted by M.P. Act No. 27 of 1965.]
- Whenever any Excise Officer not below such rank as the State Government may, by notification, prescribe, has reason to believe that an offence under Section 34, Section 35, Section 36, Section 36-A, Section 36-B, Section 36-C, Section 37, Section 38, Section 38-A, Section 39, or Section 40 has been, is being or is likely to be committed, and that a search warrant cannot be obtained without affording the offender an opportunity of escape or of concealing evidence of the offence he may after recording the grounds of his belief. -(a)at any time, by day or night, enter and search any place and seize anything found therein which he has reason to believe to be liable to confiscation under this Act; and(b)detain and search and, if he thinks proper, arrest any person found in such place whom he has reason to believe to be guilty of such offence as aforesaid.]
