law: The Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002
  18. Search of
  
  persons.-
  1.  If
  
  an authority, authorised in this behalf by the Central Government by general or
  
  special order, has reason to believe (the reason for such belief to be recorded
  
  in writing) that any person has secreted about his person or in anything under
  
  his possession, ownership or control, any record or proceeds of crime which may
  
  be useful for or relevant to any proceedings under this Act, he may search that
  
  person and seize such record or property which may be useful for or relevant to
  
  any proceedings under this Act.
  2.  The
  
  authority, who has been authorised under sub-section (1) shall, immediately
  
  after search and seizure, forward a copy of the reasons so recorded along with
  
  material in his possession, referred to in that sub-section, to the
  
  Adjudicating Authority n a sealed envelope, in the manner, as may be prescribed
  
  and such Adjudicating Authority shall keep such reasons and material for such
  
  period, as may be prescribed.
  3.  Where
  
  an authority is about to search any person, he shall, if such person so
  
  requires, take such person within twenty-four hours to the nearest Gazetted
  
  Officer, superior in rank to him, or a Magistrate: Provided that the period of
  
  twenty-four hours shall exclude the time necessary for the journey undertaken
  
  to take such person to the nearest Gazetted Officer, superior in rank to him,
  
  or Magistrate's Court.
  4.  If
  
  the requisition under sub-section (3) is made, the authority shall not detain
  
  the person for more than twenty-four hours prior to taking him before the
  
  Gazetted Officer, superior in rank to him, or the Magistrate referred to in
  
  that sub-section: Provided that the period of twenty-four hours shall exclude
  
  the time necessary for the journey from the place of detention to the office of
  
  the Gazetted Officer, superior in rank to him, or the Magistrate's Court.
  5.  The
  
  Gazetted Officer or the Magistrate before whom any such person is brought
  
  shall, if he sees no reasonable ground for search, forthwith discharge such
  
  person but otherwise shall direct that search be made.
  6.  
  
    Before
  
  making the search under sub-section (1) or sub-section (5), the authority shall
  
  call upon two or more persons to attend and witness the search, and the search
  
  shall be made in the presence of such persons.
  7.  
  
    The
  
  authority shall prepare a list of record or property seized in the course of
  
  the search and obtain the signatures of the witnesses on the list.
  8.  
  
    No
  
  female shall be searched by any one except a female.
  9.  
  
    The
  
  authority shall record the statement of the person searched under sub-section
  
  (1) or sub-section (5) in respect of the records or proceeds of crime found or
  
  seized in the course of the search: Provided that no search of any person shall
  
  be made unless, in relation to an offence under-
  a.   Paragraph 1 of Part A
  
  or Paragraph 1 or Paragraph 2 or Paragraph 3 or Paragraph 4 or Paragraph 5 of
  
  Part B of the Schedule, a report has been forwarded to a Magistrate under
  
  section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974); or
  b.   Paragraph 2 of Part A
  
  of the Schedule, a police report or a complaint has been filed for taking cognizance
  
  of an offence by the Special Court constituted under sub-section (1) of section
  
  36 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 61 of 1985).
  1.  
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  9.  
  
  
  
  
  10.  
  
    The
  
  authority, seizing any record or property under sub-section (1) shall, within a
  
  period of thirty days from such seizure, file an application requesting for
  
  retention of such record or property, before the Adjudicating Authority.