law: Indian Ports Act, 1908
  63. Foreign deserters 
  Any Magistrate, upon an application being made to him by the
  
  Consul of any Foreign Power to which section 238 of the Merchant "Shipping
  
  Act, 1894 (57 & 58 Vict., c. 60) has, by an Order in Council 65[or
  
  order], been, or shall hereafter be, declared to be applicable, or by the
  
  representative of such Consul, and upon complaint on oath of the desertion of
  
  any seaman, not being a slave, from any vessel of such Foreign Power, may,
  
  until a revocation of such Order in Council 65[or order] has been
  
  publicly notified, issue his warrant for the apprehension of any such deserter,
  
  and, upon due proof of the desertion, may order him to be conveyed on board the
  
  vessel to which he belongs or, at the instance of the Consul, to be detained in
  
  custody until the vessel is ready to sail, or, if the vessel has sailed, for a
  
  reasonable time not exceeding one month:
  Provided that a deposit be first made of such sum as the Magistrate
  
  deems necessary for the subsistence of the deserter during the detention and
  
  that the detention of the deserter shall not be continued beyond twelve weeks.