Section 53
Penalty for opening, detaining or delaying postal articles.
The Indian Post Office Act, 1898
About this Act
An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to the Post Offices in India.
Whoever, being an officer of the
Post Office, contrary to his duty, opens, or causes or suffers to be opened, any postal article in course of
transmission by post, or willfully detains or delays, or causes or suffers to be detained or delayed, any
such postal article, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or
with fine or with both:
Provided that nothing in this section shall extend to the opening, detaining or delaying of any postal article under the authority of this Act or in obedience to the order in writing of the Central Government or the direction of a competent Court.
Provided that nothing in this section shall extend to the opening, detaining or delaying of any postal article under the authority of this Act or in obedience to the order in writing of the Central Government or the direction of a competent Court.