Section 31 in United Khasi-Jaintia Hills Autonomous District (Management and Control of Forests) Act, 1958
31.
(1)The Executive Committee may, by notification in the 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 27 or Section 28, a sum of money by way of compensation for an 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 the 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 a Forest Officer who is in receipt of a monthly salary amounting to at least Rs. 100 and the sum of money accepted as compensation under Clause (a) of Sub-section (1) of this section shall, in no case, exceed the sum of rupees fifty.
