Composition of offences

Composition of offences. —

1. (1) The Forest Officer empowered in this behalf by the State Government may —
   • (a) accept from any person whose licence is liable to be revoked or suspended under sub-section
2. (5) of Section 6 or who is reasonably suspected of having committed for the first time an offence of not submitting return under Section 8, not keeping account of wood under Section 9, or sawing wood obtained unlawfully, the volume of which is less than half a cubic meter, a sum of money not exceeding ten thousand rupees, in lieu of such revocation or suspension or by way of composition of the offence and may impose a sum not exceeding ten thousand rupees by way of penalty and shall order confiscation of the wood obtained unlawfully, which was seized.
   • (b) in any case, in which any property has been seized as being liable to confiscation under this Act, may release the same on payment of the value thereof as estimated by the Forest Officer, before the order of confiscation is passed by the competent authority under this Act.
3. (2) On the payment of such sum of money or such value or both, as the case may be, to the Forest Officer, the accused person, if in custody, shall be discharged, the property seized shall be released, and no further proceedings shall be taken against such person or such property.