Page:Legislative Acts of the Governor General of India in Council, 1834-1851.djvu/172

134 carry the party arrested direct to the Officer of the Salt Department who may be competent to try the case; and no person so arrested shall be released, until the case shall have been brought to judgment in the manner provided by Law.

XXII.And it is hereby enacted, that if any Officer of the Salt Department be convicted before the Magistrate of any District, of having vexatiously and unnecessarily seized the goods of any person on the pretence of seizing or searching for Salt, or of having vexatiously or unnecessarily arrested any person, or of having stopped and detained any boat unnecessarily and without authority, or of having detained any boat longer than is necessary for the purpose of search, every such Officer shall, besides dismissal, be punished with imprisonment not exceeding six months, and with fine not exceeding 200 Rupees, commutable, if not paid, to a further imprisonment not exceeding six months.

XXIII.And it is hereby enacted, in modification of Section CXXII., Regulation X., of 1819, aforesaid, that if any person shall wilfully and maliciously give false information in respect to there being illicit Salt in store in any house or warehouse, and so procure that such house or warehouse shall be searched to the injury or vexation of the owners thereof, or of any other person or persons whatever, such false informer shall, on conviction of the offence before any Magistrate, be liable to imprisonment for two years, and to fine not exceeding 500 Rupees, at the discretion of any Magistrate by whom the ease may be tried; and in the case of the non payment of the fine, to imprisonment for a further period of six months.

XXIV.And it is hereby enacted, that when parties shall be convicted of the illegal possession or transportation of Salt, and shall be liable to the penalty of five rupees per maund as prescribed in Section XXXVI., Regulation X., of 1819, of the Bengal Code, the fine shall be at the said rate according to the quantity of Salt seized, whether less or more than one maund, and each one of the smugglers in company, or parties to the fraud on the Revenue, shall be liable to the whole fine.

XXV.And it is hereby enacted, that it shall be competent to the Governor or Deputy Governor of Bengal to vest with the power of adjudicating cases of contravention of the Laws for protection of the Revenue derived from Salt, any Assistant to a