(1)

No prosecution for an offence under sub-section (1) of section 25 shall be instituted except by or with the sanction of such officer of Government as may be prescribed in this behalf.

(2)

No court shall take cognizance of an offence punishable under sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) or section 25 except upon complaint in writing made by an officer generally or specially authorized in this behalf by the Central Government.

(3)

No court inferior to that of a Presidency Magistrate or a Magistrate of the First Class shall try any offence punishable under this Act.

Recovery of antiquities articles from house of Petitioner, not registered as required under section 14. Team of experts in the Archaeological Department examined all the articles and found that few of them were antiquities. Opinion filed by them is final under section 24. In respect of these articles chemical test to prove that they were 100 years old was not required to be conducted. Non-registration of antiquities in an offence under the Act and imposition of fine not illegal or irregular. However, petitioners were given an opportunity to make application for registration of antiquities instead of confiscating them; 1999 Cri LJ 3079.