(1)If any Gold Control Officer has reason to believe that in respect of any gold any provision of this Act has been, or is being, or is attempted to be, contravened, then, he may seize-(a)such gold along with the package, covering or receptacle, if any (and the contents thereof), in which the gold is found;(b)any other goods in which any quantity of such gold has been mixed.(2)Any Gold Control Officer may seize-(a)any document or other thing which, in his opinion, will be useful for, or relevant to, any inquiry or proceeding for the contravention of any provision of this Act or any rule or order made thereunder;(b)any conveyance or animal which has been, or is being, or is attempted to be, used for the transport of any gold in relation to which any provision of this Act or any rule or order made thereunder has been, or is being, or is attempted to be, contravened.(3)Any document or other thing seized under sub-section (2) shall not be retained by the Gold Control Officer for a period exceeding six months from the date of the seizure unless the reasons for retaining the same are recorded by him in writing and the approval of the Administrator for such retention is obtained:Provided that the Administrator shall not authorise the retention of the document or other thing for a period exceeding thirty days after all proceedings, for which the document or other thing is useful or relevant, are completed.(4)The person from whose custody any document or other thing a seized under sub-section (2) may make copies thereof or take extracts therefrom in the presence of the Gold Control Officer or any other person empowered by him in this behalf, at such place and at such time as the Gold Control Officer may appoint in this behalf.(5)If a person legally entitled to the document or other thing seized under sub-section (2) objects for any reason to the approval being given by the Administrator under sub-section (3), he may make an application to the Central Government stating therein the reasons for such objection and requesting for the return of the document or other thing.(6)On receipt of the application, under sub-section (5) the Central Government may, after giving the applicant an opportunity of being heard, pass such orders as it may think fit.
