Power to summon: officers can require attendance, evidence and documents; inquiries treated as judicial proceedings. The proper officer may summon any person to give evidence or produce documents or other things for any inquiry, exercising powers analogous to a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure; summoned persons are bound to attend in person or by authorised representative, must state the truth during examination and produce required documents; such inquiries are deemed judicial proceedings for purposes of penal provisions relating to false statements and evidence.