s 17 Power to seize, detain and search for unlawful Qur’anic texts or Qur’anic material
(1) Any police officer not below the rank of Inspector, or any public officer authorized in writing by the Islamic Religious Council of any State or Federal Territory, may seize and detain any Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material found in the possession of any person if the police officer or the public officer has reasonable cause to believe that it has been printed, published, distributed or sold, or is intended to be published, distributed or sold, in contravention of this Act or of any condition attached to the licence under section 5, or that there is any error in respect of the Qur’anic Verses contained in the Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material. (2) Any police officer not below the rank of Inspector or any public officer authorized in writing by the Islamic Religious Council of any State or Federal Territory to apply for a warrant under this subsection may apply to a Magistrate or a Sessions Court Judge for a warrant empowering such officer to enter upon any premises and search for and seize and detain any Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material the printing, publication, distribution or sale of which is unlawful under this Act, or which contains any error in respect of the Qur’anic Verses contained in the Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material. (3) An application for a warrant under subsection (2) shall be supported by an information to the effect that there is reasonable cause for suspecting that there is in the premises any Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material the printing, publication, distribution or sale of which is unlawful under this Act, or which contains any error in respect of the Qur’anic Verses contained in the Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material, and the Magistrate or Sessions Court Judge to whom the application is made shall, unless he has grounds to believe that the information supplied is not correct, issue the warrant applied for. (4) Whenever it appears to any police officer not below the rank of Assistant Superintendent that there is reasonable cause to believe that in any premises there is concealed or deposited any Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material the printing, publication, distribution or sale of which is unlawful under this Act, or which contains any error in respect of the Qur’anic Verses contained in the Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material, and he has good grounds for believing that by reason of the delay which would be entailed by obtaining a search warrant the object of the search is likely to be frustrated, he may enter and search the premises and seize and detain the Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material as if he were empowered to do so by a warrant issued under subsection (2).