Section 12. Composition of offence

(1) An offence punishable under this Act may be compounded either before or after the institution of the prosecution 1by such officers of the State Government or the local authority as may be notified by the State Government from time to time, on realisation of such amount of composition fee 2 as may be specified by notification by the State Government not exceeding the miximum amount of fine fixed for the offence and where the offence is so compounded. (a) before the institution of the prosecution, the offender shall not be liable to prosecution, for such offence and shall, if in custody be set at liberty; (b) after the institution of the prosecution the composition shall amount to acquittal of the offender.