Section 185.   Search by police officer.

(1) Whenever an officer in charge of a police station or a police officer making an
investigation has reasonable grounds for believing that anything necessary for the purposes
of an investigation into any offence which he is authorised to investigate may be found in
any place within the limits of the police station of which he is in charge, or to which he is
attached, and that such thing cannot in his opinion be otherwise obtained without undue
delay, such officer may, after recording in writing the grounds of his belief in the case-diary
and specifying in such writing, so far as possible, the thing for which search is to be made,
search, or cause search to be made, for such thing in any place within the limits of such
station.
(2) A police officer proceeding under sub-section (1), shall, if practicable, conduct the
search in person.
Provided that the search conducted under this section shall be recorded through
audio-video electronic means preferably by mobile phone.
(3) If he is unable to conduct the search in person, and there is no other person
competent to make the search present at the time, he may, after recording in writing his
reasons for so doing, require any officer subordinate to him to make the search, and he shall
deliver to such subordinate officer an order in writing, specifying the place to be searched,
and so far as possible, the thing for which search is to be made; and such subordinate
officer may thereupon search for such thing in such place.
(4) The provisions of this Sanhita as to search-warrants and the general provisions as
to searches contained in section 103 shall, so far as may be, apply to a search made under
this section.
(5) Copies of any record made under sub-section (1) or sub-section (3) shall forthwith,
but not later than forty-eight hours, be sent to the nearest Magistrate empowered to take
cognizance of the offence, and the owner or occupier of the place searched shall, on
application, be furnished, free of cost, with a copy of the same by the Magistrate.