- Reason to believe is to have knowledge of facts which, although not amounting to direct knowledge, would cause a reasonable person, knowing the same facts, to reasonably conclude the same thing.
- As per Section 26 of the IPC, 1860, “A person is said to have ‘reason to believe’ a thing, if he has sufficient cause to believe that thing but not otherwise.”
- ‘Reason to believe’ contemplates an objective determination based on intelligent care and evaluation as distinguished from a purely subjective consideration.
- It has to be and must be that of an honest and reasonable person based on relevant material and circumstances.
(ICAI FAQ PUBLICATIONS : – 06-09-2017 -INSPECTION, SEARCH, SEIZURE AND ARREST : FAQ NO.7)