(1) Every common carrier shall be liable to the consignor for the loss or damage to any consignment in accordance with the goods forwarding note, where such loss or damage has arisen on account of any criminal act of the common carrier, or any of his servants or agents.
(2) In any suit brought against the common carrier for the loss, damage or nondelivery of consignment, it shall not be necessary for the plaintiff to prove that such loss, damage or non-delivery was owing to the negligence or criminal act of the common carrier, or any of his servants or agents.
(3) Where any consignment has been detained for examination or scrutiny by a competent authority and upon such examination or scrutiny it is found that certain prohibited goods or goods on which due tax was not paid or insufficiently paid have been entrusted to the common carrier by the consignor which have not been described in the goods forwarding note, the cost of such examination or scrutiny shall be borne by the consignor and the common carrier shall not be liable for any loss, damage or deterioration ca~sed by such detention of the consignment for examination or scrutiny:
Provided that the onus of proving that such incorrect description of goods in the goods forwarding note was received from the consignor shall be on the common carrier.
Explanation.-For the purposes of this section, "competent authority" means any person or authority who is empowered to examine or scrutinise goods by or under any law for the time being in force to secure compliance of provisions of that law.
SEC. 1] THE GAZETIE OF lNDLA EXTRAORDINARY
13. (/) No goods of dangerous or hazardous nature to human life shall be carried by a common carrier except in accordance with such procedure and after complying with such safeguards as may be prescribed.
(2) The Central Government may, by rules made in this behalf, specify the goods of dangerous or hazardous nature to human life and the label or class of labels to be carried in, or displayed on, the motor vehicle or such goods in the course of transportation.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other· law for the time being in force, every common carrier shall scrutinise and ensure before starting transportation of any consignment containing goods of dangerous or hazardous nature to human life that the consignment is covered by, one or more insurance policies under a contract of insurance in respect of such goods providing relief in case of death or injury to a person or damage to any property or the consignment, if an accident takes place.
14. The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify, in public interest, the goods or class or classes of goods which shall not be carried by a common carrier. '