Cr.P.C Section 516A

Order for custody and disposal of property pending trial in certain cases.

When any property regarding which any offence appears to have been committed, or which appears to have been used for the commission of any offence, is produced before any Criminal Court during any inquiry or trial, the Court may make such order as it thinks fit for the proper custody of such property pending the conclusion of the inquiry or trial, and, if the property is subject to speedy or natural decay, may, after recording such evidence as it thinks necessary, order it to be sold or otherwise disposed of [:]]

[Provided that, if the property consists of explosive substance, the Court shall not order it to be sold or handed over to any person other than a Government department or office dealing with, or to an authorised dealer in, such substances [:]

[Provided further that if the property is a dangerous drug, intoxicant, intoxicating liquor or any other narcotic substance seized or taken into custody under the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1930 (II of 1930), the Customs Act, 1969 (IV of 1969), the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order, 1979 (P.O. 4 of 1979), or any other law for the time being in force, the Court may, either on an application or of its own motion and under its supervision and control, obtain and prepare such number of samples of the property as it may deem fit for safe custody and production before it or any other court and cause destruction of the remaining portion of the property under a certificate issued by it in that behalf:

Provided also that such samples shall be deemed to be whole of the property in an inquiry or proceedings in relation to such offence before any authority or court.]