Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
COMMENTS Every offence punishable under this act shall be cognizable. Arrest without warrant can be made only by the special police officer or under his direction or guidance or subject to his prior approval. Search without warrant. - (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, whenever the special police officer 1[ or the trafficking police officer, as the case may be,] has reasonable grounds for believing that an offence punishable under this Act has been or is being committed in respect of a 2[ person] living in any premises, and that search of the premises with warrant cannot be made without undue delay, such officer may, after recording the grounds of his belief, enter and search such premises without a warrant. (2) Before making a search under sub-section (1), the special police officer 1[ or the trafficking police officer, as the case may be,] shall call upon two or more respectable inhabitants (at least one of whom shall be a women) of the locality in which the place to be searched is situated, to attend and witness the search, and may issue an order in writing to them or any of them so to do : 3[Provided that the requirement as to the respectable inhabitants being from the locality in which place to be searched is situate shall not apply to a woman required to attend and witness the search]. (3) Any person who, without reasonable cause, refuses or neglects, to attend and