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Indian Forest (Chhattisgarh Amendment) Act, 2014

(Act No. 22 of 2015)

Last Updated 19th October, 2019 [cg241]

"(1) When there is reason to believe that a forest offence has been committed in respect of any reserved forest and protected forest or forest produce, the produce and all tools, boats, vehicles, ropes, chains or any other article used in committing such offence may be seized by any forest officer or police officer."

(2) After sub-section (5) of Section 52 of the Principal Act, the following shall be added, namely.-

"(6) The seized property shall continue to be under custody until confirmation of the order of the authorized officer by the Appellant Authority or until the expiry of the period for initiating 'suo moto' action by him whichever is earlier, as prescribed under Section 52-A.

(7) Where the authorized officer having jurisdiction over the case is himself involved in seizure or investigation, the next higher authority may transfer the case to any other officer of the same rank for conducting proceedings under this Section.".

"53. Power to release property seized under Section 52. - Any Forest officer of a rank not inferior to that of a Ranger, who, or whose sub-ordinate, has seized any tools, boats, vehicles or any other article under Section 52, may release the same, on the execution by the owner thereof, of a security, in a form as may be prescribed, of an amount equal to the value of such property, as estimated by such officer, for the production of the property so released, if and when so required, before the authorized officer under Section 52 or the Magistrate having jurisdiction to try the offence on account of which the seizure has been made.".

"66-A. Attempt or abetment of an offence. - Any person who attempts to contravene or abets the contravention of any provision of this Act or the rules made there under shall be deemed to have contravened such provisions or rules.".

"68. Power to compound offences. - (1) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, 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 62 or Section 63, a sum 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 at any time before an order of confiscation is passed by the authorised officer 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) 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 ;

"71. Power to alter fines fixed under that Act. - The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct that, in lieu of the fines fixed under Section 12 of the Cattle-trespass Act, 1871 (1 of 1871), there shall be levied for each head to cattle impounded under Section 70 of this Act, such fines as it thinks fit, but not exceeding the following, that is to say.-