Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act Section 8 — Punishment for vexatious search or arrest

Criminal

Summary

Any officer or person exercising powers under this Act who commits any of the following acts shall be punished with imprisonment up to six months, or a fine up to five hundred rupees, or both.

Under clause (a), entering or searching, or causing a search of, any closed place without reasonable ground of suspicion.

Under clause (b), vexatiously and unnecessarily seizing the property of any person on the pretence of seizing or searching for anything liable to confiscation under this Act.

Under clause (c), vexatiously and unnecessarily detaining, searching, or arresting any person.

Under clause (d), maliciously and falsely laying information that leads to a search, seizure, detention, or arrest.

Under clause (e), in any other way maliciously exceeding his lawful powers.

Official Text

Any officer or person exercising powers under this Act, who --

(a) without reasonable ground of suspicion, enters or searches or causes to be searched, any closed place ; or

(b) vexatiously and unnecessarily seizes the property of any person on the pretence of seizing or searching for anything liable to confiscation under this Act ; or

(c) vexatiously and unnecessarily detains, searches or arrests any person; or

(d) maliciously and falsely lays information leading to a search, seizure, detention or arrest; or

(e) in any other way maliciously exceeds his lawful powers, shall be punished [with [***] imprisonment] which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.