Section 19 in The M.P. Van Upaj (Vyapar Viniyaman) Adhiniyam, 1969
19. [ Composition of offences. [[Substituted by M.P. Act No. 14 of 2007. Prior to substitution it read as under.
'19. Composition of offences. -(1) The State Government may, by notification, empower a Forest Officer, -(a)to accept from any person against whom a reasonable suspicion exists that he has committed an offence punishable under this Act, a sum of money by way of compensation for the offence which such person is suspected to have committed; and(b)when any property other than a specified forest produce 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 persons shall be discharged, the property, other than the specified forest produce if any, seized shall be released, and no further proceedings shall be taken against such person or property.(3)A Forest Officer shall not be empowered under this section unless he is a Forest Officer of a rank not inferior to that of a Divisional Forest Officer, and the sum of money accepted as compensation under clause (a) of sub-section (1) shall in no case exceed the sum of one thousand rupees.']](1)The State Government may, by notification, empower a Forest Officer,-(a)to accept from any person against whom a reasonable suspicion exists that he has committed an offence punishable under this Act, or the rule made thereunder, a sum of money by way of compensation for the offence which such person is suspected to have committed; and(b)when any property other than a specified forest produce has been seized as liable to confiscation, to release the same, at any time before an order of confiscation is passed by an appropriate authority, 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 persons shall be discharged, the property, other than the specified forest produce, if any, seized shall be released, and no further proceeding shall be taken against such person or property.(3)A Forest Officer shall not be empowered under this section unless he is a Forest Officer of a rank not inferior to that of a Ranger, and the sum of money accepted as compensation under clause (a) of sub-section (1) shall in no case be less than two times the value of the forest produce :Provided that in case the forest produce in respect of which an offence has been committed is not the property of the Government or in case the value of the forest produce is less than one thousand rupees, and if the offender has committed the offence for the first time, the suspected person may be discharged and the property other than the forest produce, if any, seized may be released on payment of the sum of ten thousand rupees or the value of such reized property, whichever is less, the seized forest produce may be released only if it is not the property of the Government or on the payment of the value thereof, as the ease may be.]
