Section 54-A: Owner of animal, cart, vessel, raft, motor vehicle or any other means of conveyance deemed to be guilty in certain cases

¹[Where any animal, cart, vessel, raft, motor vehicle or any other means of conveyance is used in the commission of an offence under this Act, and is liable to confiscation, the owner thereof, except in case of a motor vehicle or other means of conveyance being owned by the Central Government or any 1[State Government] or any of their undertaking, shall be deemed to be guilty of such offence and such owner shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly unless he satisfies the Court that he had no reason to believe that such offence was being or likely to be committed and he had exercised due care in the prevention of the commission of such an offence.]