Section 237

(1) A superior police officer or an administrative officer in charge of police, if he has reasonable grounds for believing that any house, room or place is kept as a common gaming house, may by order in writing authorise any police officer to enter and search such house, room or place at any time and if necessary, to use force for the purpose of effecting such entry, whether by breaking open doors or otherwise, and to arrest all persons who shall be found therein, and to seize all instruments of gaming found in such house or premises, and also to seize all money found therein.

(2) Where a police officer so authorised to enter any house, room or place is wilfully prevented from or obstructed or delayed in entering the same or any part thereof, or where any external or internal door of, or means of access to, any such house, room or place shall be found to be fitted or provided with any bolt, bar, chain or any means or contrivance for the purpose of preventing, delaying or obstructing the entry into the same or any part thereof of any police officer authorised as aforesaid or for giving an alarm in the case of such entry, or if any such house, room or place is found fitted or provided with any means or contrivance for Unlawful gaming or with any means of contrivance for concealing, removing or destroying any instruments of gaming, it shall be evidence until the contrary he proved, that such house, room or place is used as a common gaming house within the meaning of the last preceding section and that the persons found therein were unlawfully playing therein.