72. Persons bound to assist Forest Officers and Police Officers.
(1)Every person who exercises any right in a private protected forest or who is permitted to take any forest-produce from, or to cut and remove trees or timber in or from, or to pasture cattle in such forest, and every person who is employed by such person in such forest, and every person in any village contiguous to such forest who is employed by the [Government] [Substituted by A.L.O.] or who receives emoluments from the [Government] [Substituted by A.L.O.] for service to be performed to the community, shall be bound to furnish without unnecessary delay to the nearest Forest Officer or Police Officer any information he may possess respecting the commission of, or intention to commit any forest offence, and shall forthwith take steps, whether so required by any Forest Officer or Police officer or not. -(a)to extinguish any forest fire in such forest of which he has knowledge or information;(b)to prevent by any lawful means in his power any fire in the vicinity of such forest of which he has knowledge or information from spreading to such forest;and shall assist any Forest Officer or Police Officer demanding his aid-(c)in preventing the commission in such forest of any forest-offence; and(d)When there is reason to believe that any such offence has been committed in such forest, in discovering and arresting the offender.(2)Any person who, being bound so to do, without lawful excuse (the burden of proving which shall lie upon such person) fails-(a)to furnish without unnecessary delay to nearest Forest Officer or Police Officer any information required by sub-section (1);(b)to take steps, as required by sub-section (1), to extinguish any forest fire in a private protected forest,(c)to prevent, as required by sub-section (1), any fire in the vicinity of such forest from spreading to such forest; or(d)to assist any Forest Officer or Police Officer demanding his aid in preventing the commission in such forest of any forest offence or, when there is-reason to believe that any such offence has been committed in such forest, in discovering and arresting the offender; shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month, or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both.
