Section 197:
Report of desertions and absence without leave.
Whenever any seaman engaged outside
India on an Indian ship deserts or otherwise absents himself in India without leave, the master of the
ship shall, within forty-eight hours of discovering such desertion or absence, report the same to the
shipping master or to such other officer as the Central Government specifies in this behalf, unless in
the meantime, the deserter or absentee returns.