Composition of offences

(1) Any officer authorised by the Director or the Town and Country Development Authority in this behalf may, either before or after the institution of the proceedings, compound any offence made punishable by or under this Act or the rules made thereunder: Provided that no offence shall be compounded unless the offender pays such amount as may be determined by the authorised officer, which shall not, in any case, exceed the maximum amount of fine prescribed for the offence. (2) On payment of such amount as may be determined by the authorised officer under sub-section (1), the accused person, if in custody, shall be set at liberty and no further proceedings shall be taken against him in respect of the offence so compounded.