Search by police officer
AI Assist
Summary
An officer in charge may search any place within his police-station limits if he reasonably believes evidence for an investigation is there and that delay would prevent getting it. He must record the grounds and the items sought in the case diary, should search personally if practicable and preferably record the search by audio-video, or give a written order to a subordinate. Copies of the search record must be sent to the nearest magistrate within 48 hours and the owner or occupier can obtain a free copy from the magistrate.
Example
Priya files an FIR saying stolen documents may be in her neighbour's flat. The officer in charge records his reasons in the case diary, searches the flat personally and records the search on his mobile. The search record is sent to the nearest magistrate within 48 hours and the neighbour can get a free copy.
Bare Act
Enacted text(1) Whenever an officer in charge of a police station or a police officer making an investigation has reasonable grounds for believing that anything necessary for the purposes of an investigation into any offence which he is authorised to investigate may be found in any place within the limits of the police station of which he is in charge, or to which he is attached, and that such thing cannot in his opinion be otherwise obtained without undue delay, such officer may, after recording in writing the grounds of his belief in the case-diary and specifying in such writing, so far as possible, the thing for which search is to be made, search, or cause search to be made, for such thing in any place within the limits of such station.
(2) A police officer proceeding under sub-section (1), shall, if practicable, conduct the search in person:
Provided that the search conducted under this section shall be recorded through audio-video electronic means preferably by mobile phone.
(3) If he is unable to conduct the search in person, and there is no other person competent to make the search present at the time, he may, after recording in writing his reasons for so doing, require any officer subordinate to him to make the search, and he shall deliver to such subordinate officer an order in writing, specifying the place to be searched, and so far as possible, the thing for which search is to be made; and such subordinate officer may thereupon search for such thing in such place.
(4) The provisions of this Sanhita as to search-warrants and the general provisions as to searches contained in section 103 shall, so far as may be, apply to a search made under this section.
(5) Copies of any record made under sub-section (1) or sub-section (3) shall forthwith, but not later than forty-eight hours, be sent to the nearest Magistrate empowered to take cognizance of the offence, and the owner or occupier of the place searched shall, on application, be furnished, free of cost, with a copy of the same by the Magistrate.
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