10. Power of entry, search and seizure.-
(1) Any authority specified by the Central Government in this behalf may, if it is satisfied that any provision of this Act has been, or is being, or is about to be, contravened, authorise any person to enter and search any premises where any accounts, books, registers and other documents relating to levy sugar and belonging to, or under the control of, a producer or his agent, are maintained or kept for safe custody.
(2) The person so authorised may seize any such accounts, books, registers or other documents if he has any reason to believe that a contravention of this Act has been, or is being, or is about to be, committed:
Provided that the accounts, books, registers or other documents seized under this section shall not be retained in custody of the Central Government for a period exceeding ninety days: Provided further that where such accounts, books, registers and other documents are required for the purposes of any prosecution, they may be retained in the custody of the Central Government for a further period, not exceeding ninety days, for the purposes of such prosecution.
(3) The provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), relating to searches and seizures, shall, so far as may be, apply to searches and seizures made under this Act.