Procedure on claim preferred to such timber

Procedure on claim preferred to such timber. (1) When any such statement is presented under section 54, the Forest Officer may, after making such inquiry as he thinks fit, either reject the claim after recording his reasons for so doing, or accept the claim and deliver the timber to the claimant. (2) If such timber is claimed by more than one person, the Forest Officer may either deliver the same to any of such persons whom he deems entitled thereto or may refer the claimants to the civil court, and retain the timber or wood pending the receipt of an order from any such court for its disposal. (3) Any person whose claim has been rejected under this section, may within ninety days from the date of intimation of the order of such rejection, institute a suit to recover possession of the timber claimed by him; but no person shall recover any compensation or costs against the State Government, or against any Forest Officer, on account of such rejection, or the detention or removal of any timber or wood, or the delivery thereof to any other person under this section. (4) No such timber shall be subject to process of any civil, criminal or revenue court until it has been delivered or a suit brought as provided in this section, has been decided.