Substituted by Act 15 of 2016, section 22.

. Substituted by Act 15 of 2016, section 22. .

Government may invest forest officers with certain powers -(1) (a) The Government may, by notification and subject to such terms and conditions as may be specified therein, invest any forest officer not below the rank of a

1[Deputy Range Officer or Forester] with all or any of the following powers, namely:-

1. (i) to enter upon any land and to survey, demarcate and make a map of the same: Provided that no such demarcation shall take away or a bridge the right of any person in or over the land;
2. (ii) to hold enquiries into forest offences, and in the course of such enquiries to receive and record evidence;
3. (iii) to accept compensation for forest offences under section 59.

1. (b) The Government may, by notification, invest any forest officer, not below the rank of an Assistant Conservator of Forests with all or any of the following powers, namely:-
   • (i) power of a civil court to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents and material objects;
   • (ii) to search or to issue a search warrant which may be executed in the manner provided in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

1. (2) The Government may, in like manner, withdraw any powers invested under sub-section (1).
2. (3) Any evidence recorded under item (ii) of clause (a) of sub-section (1) shall be admissible, in any subsequent trial of the alleged offender before a magistrate, if it has been taken in the presence of the accused person and recorded in the manner provided by section 355, section 356 or section 357 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.