102. Custody of offenders.—(1) Any person subject to this Act who is charged with an offence may
be taken into air force custody.
(2) Any such person may be ordered into air force custody by any superior officer.
(3) Any officer may order into air force custody any officer, though he may be of a higher rank,
engaged in a quarrel, affray or disorder.
1. Subs. by Act 19 of 1955, s. 2 and the Schedule, for “the Commander-in-Chief” (w.e.f. 7-5-1955).
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103. Duty of commanding officer in regard to detention.—(1) It shall be the duty of every
commanding officer to take care that a person under his command when charged with an offence is not
detained in custody for more than forty-eight hours after the committal of such person into custody is
reported to him, without the charge being investigated, unless investigation within that period seems to
him to be impracticable with due regard to the public service.
(2) Every case of a person being detained in custody beyond a period of forty-eight hours, and the
reason thereof shall be reported by the commanding officer to the air or other officer to whom application
would be made to convene a general or district court-martial for the trial of the person charged.
(3) In reckoning the period of forty-eight hours specified in sub-section (1), Sundays and public
holidays shall be excluded.
(4) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Central Government may make rules a providing for the
manner in which and the period for which any person subject to this Act may be taken into and detained
in air force custody, pending the trial by any competent authority for any offence committed by him.
104. Interval between committal and court-martial.—In every case where any such person as is
mentioned in section 102 and as is not on active service remains in such custody for a longer period than
eight days, without a court-martial for his trial being ordered to assemble, a special report giving reasons
for the delay shall be made by his commanding officer in the manner prescribed; and similar report shall
be forwarded every eight days until a court-martial is assembled or such person is released from custody.
105. Arrest by civil authorities.—Wherever any person subject to this Act, who is accused of any
offence under this Act, is within the jurisdiction of any magistrate or police officer, such magistrate or
police officer shall aid in the apprehension and delivery to air force custody of such person upon receipt
of a written application to that effect signed by his commanding officer.
106. Capture of deserters.—(1) Whenever any person subject to this Act deserts, the commanding
officer of the unit or detachment to which he belongs, shall give written information of the desertion to
such civil authorities as, in his opinion, may be able to afford assistance towards the capture of the
deserter; and such authorities shall thereupon take steps for the apprehension of the said deserter in like
manner as if he were a person for whole apprehension a warrant had been issued by a magistrate; and
shall deliver the deserter, when apprehended, into air force custody.
(2) Any police officer may arrest without warrant any person reasonably believed to be subject to this
Act, and to be a deserter or to be travelling without authority, and shall bring him without delay before the
nearest magistrate, to be dealt with according to law.
107. Inquiry into absence without leave.—(1) When any person subject to this Act has been absent
from his duty without due authority for a period of thirty days, a Court of inquiry shall, as soon as
practicable, be assembled, and such Court shall, on oath or affirmation administered. In the prescribed
manner, inquire respecting the absence of the person, and the deficiency, if any, in the property of the
Government entrusted to his care, or in any arms, ammunition, equipment, instruments, clothing or
necessaries, and if satisfied of the fact of such absence without due authority, or other sufficient cause, the
Court shall declare such absence and the period thereof, and the said deficiency, if any; and the
commanding officer of the unit to which the person belongs shall enter in the court-martial book of the
unit a record of declaration.
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(2) If the person declared absent does not afterwards surrender or is not apprehended, he shall, for the
purposes of this Act, be deemed to be a deserter.
108. Provost-marshals.—(1) Provost-marshals may be appointed by 1
[the Chief of the Air Staff], or
by any prescribed officer.
(2) The duties of a provost-marshal are to take charge of persons confined for any offence, to preserve
good order and discipline, and to prevent breaches of the same by persons serving in, or attached to, the
Air Force.
(3) A provost-marshal may at any time arrest and detain for trial any person subject to this Act who
commits, or is charged with, an offence, and may also carry into effect any punishment to be inflicted in
pursuance of the sentence awarded by a court-martial, or by an officer exercising authority under
section 82 but shall not inflict any punishment on his own authority:
Provided that no officer shall be so arrested or detained otherwise than on the order of another officer.
(4) For the purposes of sub-sections (2) and (3), a provost-marshal shall be deemed to include a
provost-marshal appointed under the Army Act or the Navy-Act and any person legally exercising
authority under him or on his behalf.