37B. Power to requisition books of account, etc.

(1) Where the ⁷¹[Director General or Director] or the ⁷²[Chief Commissioner or Commissioner], in consequence of information in his possession, has reason to believe that—

then, the ⁷⁴[Director-General or Director] or the ⁷⁵[Chief Commissioner or Commissioner] may authorise any ⁷⁶[Joint Director], ⁷⁷[Joint Commissioner], ⁷⁸[Assistant Director ⁷⁹[or Deputy Director]] or ⁸⁰[Assistant Commissioner ⁷⁹[or Deputy Commissioner ] or Income-tax Officer] (hereafter in this section referred to as the requisitioning officer) to require such officer or authority ⁸¹[to deliver such books of account, other documents, or assets to the requisitioning officer].

(2) On a requisition being made under sub-section (1),⁸²[the officer or authority referred to in clause (a) or clause (b) or clause (c), as the case may be, of that sub-section shall deliver the books of account, other documents, or assets to the requisitioning officer either forthwith or when such officer or authority is of the opinion that it is no longer necessary to retain the same in his or its custody.]

⁸³[(3) Where any books of account, other documents, or assets have been delivered to the requisitioning officer, the provisions of sub-sections (5) to (12) (both inclusive) of section 37A and section 37C shall, so far as may be, apply as if such books of account, other documents, or assets had been seized under sub-section (1) of section 37A by the requisitioning officer from the custody of the person referred to in clause (a) or clause (b) or clause (c) of sub-section (1) of this section and as if for the words "the authorised officer" occurring in sub-sections (5) to (12) aforesaid, the words "the requisitioning officer" were substituted.