(1)The State Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, empower a Forest Officer by name, or as holding an office-(a)to accept from any person against whom a reasonable suspicion exists that he has committed any forest offence, other than an offence specified in Section 58 or Section 59 a sum of money by way of compensation for the offence which such person is suspected to have committed, and(b)when any property has been seized as liable to confiscation, to release the same on payment of the value thereof as estimated by such officer.(2)On payment of such sum of money, or such value or both, as the case may be, to such officer, the suspected person, if in custody, shall be discharged, the property, if any, seized shall be released and no further proceeding shall be taken against such person or property.(3)No Forest Officer shall be empowered under this section unless he is of the rank of an Assistant Conservator of Forests or above and the sum of money accepted as compensation under sub-section (1) of Clause (a) shall in no case exceed five thousand rupees.
