(1) The Police-patel in making any inquiry coming within the scope of his duty, 30* * * * * * shall have authority to call and examine witnesses, and 31[record their statements], and to search for concealed articles, taking care that no search be made in a dwelling-house between sunset and sunrise without urgent occasion.
Liability to criminal prosecution not affected.
Power to suspend during trial.
Information to officer in charge of District Policestation when criminal in village has escaped or is not known.
Inquest in case of unnatural or sudden death or corpse found within village.
Punishment for refusing or neglecting to serve on inquest.
Corpse when to be forwarded to nearest Civil Surgeon, etc., for examination.
When burning to be delayed till officer in charge of policestation assents.
Police- patel to apprehend person he believes has committed serious offence.
Person apprehended to be for-warded to Police- station.
Power to call and examine witnesses, record evidence and search for concealed articles.
The Bombay Village Police Act, 1867 7 of 9
(2) He shall also have authority, in carrying out any search or any pursuit of supposed criminals, to enter and act within the limits of other villages, being bound however to give immediate information to the Police-patel thereof, who shall afford him all the assistance in his power, and be immediately responsible for continuing the search and pursuit.
14. 32[Power to try and punishment for petty assault or abuse.] Repealed by Bom. 28 of 1949.
15. 32[Magistrate may issue a commission to Police-patel to try certain offenders.
Power of Police patel to punish.] Repealed by Bom. 28 of 1949.
16. 32[Power to prohibit and to punish for beating, etc., animal; bathing, washing in, or defiling well, etc; depositing dirt etc ; committing nuisance, etc : accumulating offensive matter in cesspools, etc; allowing offensive matter to issue on thorough fare, depositing dead bodies, so as to defile water for drinking] Repealed by Bom. 28 of 1949.
17. 32[Proceedings how taken under sections 14, 15 and 16.] Repealed by Bom. 28 of
1949.
18. 32[Power to cancel commission issued under section 15.] Repealed by Bom. 28 of
1949.
19. The Police-patel shall take charge of all unclaimed property found within his village, or made over to him under the provisions of 33[the Bombay Police Act, 1951], and shall forthwith make a report to 34[the Executive Magistrate] to whom he is subordinate, and act thereafter as he may be directed by the said Magistrate, unless the property be of a description coming within the provisions of 35[the Cattletrespass Act, 1871 or any law corresponding to that Act in force] 36[in which case the Police-patel shall be guided by 37[that enactment or law]
20. Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed to prevent the prosecution of any person under any other Regulation or Act for any offence made punishable by this Act, or from being liable under any other Regulation or Act to any other or higher penalty or punishment than is provided for such offence by this Act:
Provided that no person shall be punished twice for the same offence.
21. In case of the Police-patel being unable to attend to his duty, owing to urgent absence from the village, sudden illness or other cause, he shall place a competent kinsman, or failing a competent kinsman some other competent person in charge of his office making an immediate report to 38[the Executive Magistrate] to whom he is immediately subordinate and the person so placed in charge shall, until the receipt of instructions to the contrary, continue to act for the Police- patel in all his duties 39*.
22. The term "District Police-station" in this Act shall include the villages or places within the limits of the charge of a Police-officer in charge of a station.
23. [Application of Act to certain areas with modifications.] Deleted by the Gujarat Adaptation of Laws (State and Concurrent Subjects) Order, 1960.
24. This Act may be cited as the Bombay Village Police Act, 1867.