SECTION 22

Any Central Excise or other officer exercising powers under this Act or under the rules made thereunder who –

(a) without reasonable ground of suspicion searches or causes to be searched any house, boat or place;

(b) vexatiously and unnecessarily detains, searches or arrests any person;

(c) vexatiously and unnecessarily seizes the movable property of any person, on pretence of seizing or searching for any article liable to confiscation under this Act;

(d) commits, as such officer, any other act to the injury of any person, without having reason to believe that such act is required for the execution of his duty;

shall, for every such offence, be punishable with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees.

Any person willfully and maliciously giving false information and so causing an arrest or a search to be made under this Act shall be punishable with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with both.