Section 62. Power to compound offence

62. (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 any forest offence, other than an offence specified in Section 59 or Section 60, a sum of money by way of compensation for the offence which such person is suspected to have been committed, and (b) to release any property which has been seized and is liable to confiscation on payment of the value thereof as estimated by such officer and to deal with any amount so paid for offences (other than offences suspected to have been committed by the landlord), in respect of a vested forest or the forest produce thereof, as proceeds of confiscation, relating to the forest for the purposes of clause (b) of subsection (3) of Section 41. (2) On the payment of such sum of money, or such value, 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 proceedings shall be taken against such person or property. (3) No Forest Officer below the rank of a Ranger shall be empowered under this section, and the sum of money which may be accepted as compensation under clause (a) of sub-section (1) shall in no case exceeds the sum of fifty rupees.