56. Summons to produce property or document

Notwithstanding any other written law for the time being in force but subject to the provisions of the Evidence Act (Chapter 108), whenever any Court or police officer making a police investigation considers that the production of any property or document is necessary or desirable for the purposes of any investigation, inquiry, trial or other proceedings under this Code by or before such Court or police officer, such Court may issue a summons or the police officer a written order to the person in whose possession or power such property or document is believed to be, requiring him to attend and produce it or to produce it at the time and place stated in the summons or order.

In the case of banker's books, no police officer below the rank of Superintendent shall exercise any powers conferred by this section or order the production of such books unless at the place of business of the bank.

Any person required under this section merely to produce any property or document is deemed to have complied with the requisition if he causes such property or document to be produced instead of attending a personally to produce the property or document.

Nothing in this section is deemed to apply to any postal article, telegram or other document in the custody of the postal or telegraph authorities.

In this section, "bankers' books" include ledgers, day books, cash books, account books and all other books used in the ordinary business of a bank, whether these records are in written form or kept on microfilm, magnetic tape or any other form of mechanical or electronic data retrieval system.