53. Powers to arrest without warrant, to seize articles liable for confiscation and to make searches.
(1)Any officer of the Government employed in the Excise, Police or Revenue Department of the State subject to such restrictions as may be prescribed and any other person duly empowered, may -(a)[ arrest without warrant any person for an offence punishable under section 27 or section 34 or section 35 or section 36 or section 37 or section 37A or section 40A or section 50 or section 50A] [Substituted by Act No.20 of 1994.];(b)Seize and detain any excisable or other article which he has reason to believe to be liable to confiscation under this Act, or any other law for the time being in force, relating to excise revenue; and(c)detain and search any person upon whom and any vessel, raft, vehicle, animal, package, receptacle or covering in or upon which, he may have reasonable cause to suspect any such article to be.(2)When any person is accused or is reasonably suspected of committing an offence under this Act, other than an offence under section 34, section 35, section 36, or section 37, [section 37A or section 50] [Inserted by Act No.20 of 1994.] and on demand of any such officer as aforesaid, refuses to give his name and residence or gives a name and residence which such officer has reason to believe is false, he may be arrested by such officer in order that his name and residence may be ascertained.
