PREVENTIVE ACTION OF THE POLICE AND THEIR POWERS TO INVESTIGATE :

Section 149 authorises a police officer to prevent the commission of any cognizable offence. If the police officer breceives the information of a design to commit such an offence, he can communicate such information to his superior police officer and to any other officer whose duty it is to prevent or take cognizance of the commission of any such offence. The police officer may arrest the person without orders from Magistrate and without a warrant if the commission of such offence cannot be otherwise prevented

The arrested person can be detained in custody only for 24 hours unless his further detention is required under any other provsions of this Code or of any other law. (Sections 150 and 151) Section 152 authorises a police officer to prevent injury to public property.

Inspection of weights and measures

Any officer incharge of the police station may without a warrant enter any place within the limits of such station for the purpose of inspecting or searching for any weights or measures or instruments for weighing, used or kept therein, whenever he has reason to believe that there are in such place any weights, measures or instruments for weighing which are false, and if he finds in such place any false weights, measures or instruments he may seize the same and shall give information of such seizure to a Magistrate having jurisdiction. (Section 153)