Power to compound offence

(1) Any Officer duly authorised by the Government in this behall may accept from any person against whom a reasonable sltspicion exists that he has cornmi.tted any olfence punishable under this Act, sueh sum of moneY as may be prescribed, by way of composition of the offence which such person is suspected to have committed (2) On payment of such sum of money to the Officer mentioned in sub-section (1), the suspected person, if in custodY, shall be discharged and no other proceeding shall be taken against him in respect of the olfence compounded (3) The provisions of this section shall apply also where a prosecution or an appeal against conviction of o{fence under this Act is pending before a court and in such a case, the composition of such oftence shall have the effect of the acquittal of the accused with whom an offence has been compounded : Provided that the court before whom such prosecution or appeal is pending grants permission for such composition.