Power to compound certain offences

(1) The State Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, empower a fishery officer by name or by virtue of office— (a) to accept from any person concerning whom evidence exists, which if un rebutted, would prove that he has committed any fishing offence as described in the second column of the Schedule, a sum of money by any of compensation for the offence with regard to which such evidence exists and on the payment of such sum to such officer, such person, if in custody, shall be released and no further proceedings shall be taken against him; (b) to release any property that has been seized as liable to confiscation without further payment or on payment of the value hereof as estimated by such officer and on the payment of such value such property shall be released and no further proceedings shall be taken in respect thereof. (2) A sum of money accepted as compensation under clause (a) sub-section (1) shall in no case exceed the amount acceptable as compensation in the third column of the Schedule for the particular offence described in the second column thereof.