Obstruction, a wider meaning than mere physical obstruction. Any tangible or identifiable, obstruc-tion would also satisfy the requirement of s. 16 of the Telegraph Act, 1885, Arammanavara Aswathappa v. Karnataka Electricity Board, AIR 1987 Kar 282 (284). [Telegraph Act, 1885, s. 16]
Obstruction to search is to the act of the person conducting a search. It is a defensive act but where search has ended and the persons conducting the search have left the premises, to bring them back and to make them do things against their will is not an obstruction to an act but a compulsion to make them act, CCE v. Pradip Fort Trust, AIR 1990 SC 1897 (1900). (Customs Act, 1962, s. 133)
Obstruction is not confined to physical obstruction and it includes anything which makes it more difficult for the police or public servant to carry out their duties, Shyam Lal Sharma v. State of Madya Pradesh, (1972) 1 SCC 764 AIR: (1972) SC 886. (Criminal Procedure Code, 1898, s. 165)