Procedure on claim preferred to such timber.

(1) When any such statement is presented as aforesaid, the Forest Officer may, after making such enquiry as he thinks fir, either reject the claim after recording his reasons for so doing or 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 pay any of such persons whom he deems entitled thereto, or may refer the claimants to the Civil Court for its disposal. (3) Any person whose claim has been rejected under this section may within three months from the date of such rejection, institute a suit to recover possession of the timber claimed by him, but no person shall recover any compensation against the Government or against any Forest Officer on account of such rejection, or the detention or removal of any timber or the delivery thereof to any other person under this section. (4) No such timber shall be subjected to process of any Civil Court until it has been delivered, or a suit brought under this section has been decided.