Section 50 of Madras District Police Act, 1865

Jurisdiction. —In all cases of convictions under this Act, the Magistrate trying the case shall be restrained within the limits of his ordinary jurisdiction as to the amount of fine or imprisonment he may inflict ; Proviso provided always that such charges against Police Officers above the rank of a Private shall only be adjudicated on by European functionaries, and that Village Watchers alone shall be liable to conviction by Heads of Villages.