law: Arms Act, 1959
  21. Deposit of arms, etc., on possession
  
  ceasing to be lawful -
  1. Any person having in his possession any
  
  arms or ammunition the possession whereof has, in consequence of the expiration
  
  of the duration of a license or of the suspension or revocation of a license or
  
  by the issue of a notification under section 4 or by any reason whatever,
  
  ceased to be lawful, shall without unnecessary delay deposit the same either
  
  with the officer incharge of the nearest police
  
  station or subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, with a licensed
  
  dealer or where such person is a member of the armed force of the Union, in a
  
  unit armoury .
  Explanation - In this sub-section
  
  " unitarmoury " includes and  armoury in a ship or establishment of the Indian Navy.
  2. Where arms or ammunition have or has
  
  been deposited under sub-section (1) the depositor or in the case of his death,
  
  his legal representative, shall, at any time before the expiry of such period
  
  as may be prescribed, be entitled-
  (a) to receive back
  
  anything so deposited on his becoming entitled by virtue of this Act or any
  
  other law for the time being in force to have the same in his possession, or
  (b) to dispose, or
  
  authorize the disposal, of anything so deposited by sale or otherwise to any
  
  person entitled by virtue of this Act or any other law for the time being in
  
  force to have, or not prohibited by this Act or such other law from having, the
  
  same in his possession and to receive the proceeds of any such disposal :
  Provided that nothing in this
  
  sub-section be deemed to authorize the return or disposal of anything of which
  
  confiscation has been directed under section 32.
  3.  All things deposited and not
  
  received back or disposed of under sub-section (2) within the period therein
  
  referred to shall be forfeited to Government by order of the district
  
  magistrate :
  Provided that in the case of suspension of a
  
  license no such forfeiture shall be ordered in respect of a thing covered by
  
  the license during the period of suspension.
  4. Before making an order sub-section (3) the
  
  district magistrate shall by notice in writing to be served upon the depositor
  
  or in the case of his death, upon his legal representative, in the prescribed
  
  manner, require him to show cause within thirty days from the service of the
  
  notice why the things specified in the notice should not be forfeited.
  5. After considering the cause, if any, shown
  
  by the depositor or as the case may be, his legal representative, district
  
  magistrate shall pass such order as he thinks fit.
  6. The Government may any time return to the
  
  depositor or his legal representative things forfeited to it or the proceeds of
  
  disposal thereof wholly or in part.