(2)
Where separate parcel posts are established, parcels may be
forwarded and conveyed by them, being detained, if necessary, in the
Post Office for that purpose.
23.
Power to deal with postal articles posted
in contravention
of Act.
-
(1) Any postal article sent by post in contravention of
any of the provisions of this Act may be detained and either returned to
the sender or forwarded to destination, in each case charged with such
additional postage (if
any), as the [Central Government] may, by rule,
direct.
(2) any officer in charge of a post office or authorised by the
Postmaster General in this behalf may open or unfasten any
newspaper or any book, pattern or sample packet, in course of
transmission
by post, which he suspects to have been sent by post in
contravention of [Section 20, clause (a), or of] Section 21 or of any of
the provisions of this Act relating to postage.
3.
Notwithstanding anything in sub
-
section (1)
--
(a)
any postal article sent by
post in contravention of the
provisions of section 19 [or section 19A] may, under the
authority of the Post Master General, if necessary, be
opened and destroyed; and
[(b)
any postal article sent by post in contravention of the provisions
of section 20
may be disposed of in such manner as the Central
Government may, by rule, direct.]
24.
Power to deal with postal articles containing goods
contraband or liable to duty.
-
[Except as otherwise provided in this
Act, where a postal article suspected to conta
in any goods of which the
import by post or the transmission by post is prohibited by or under any
enactment for the time being in force,] or anything liable to duty, is
received for delivery at a post office, the officer in charge of the post
office shal
l send a notice in writing to the addressee inviting him to
attend, either in person or by agent, within a specified time at the post
office, and shall in the presence of the addressee or his agent, or if the
addressee or his agent fails to attend as afore
said then in his absence,
open and examine the postal article:
Provided, first that, if the Director
-
General so directs in the case
of any post office or class of post offices, the officer in charge of the
post office shall call in two respectable person
s as witnesses before he
opens a postal article in the absence of the addressee or his agent:
Provided, secondly, that in all cases a postal article, after being
opened under this section, shall be delivered to the addressee, unless
it is required for th
e purpose of any further proceeding under this or