Section 19 in The Himachal Pradesh Land Preservation Act, 1978
19. Power to compound offences.
(1)The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, empower a Gazetted Forest Officer-(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 62 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, (16 of 1927) a some 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 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)The sum of money accepted as compensation under clause (a) sub-section (1) shall in no case exceed the sum of five hundred rupees in each case.
