(1) Any offence punishable under this Act or any rule made thereunder may, either before or after the institution of the prosecution, be compounded by the person authorised under section 22 to make a complaint to the court with respect to that offence, on payment to that person, for credit to the Government, of such sum as that person may specify:
Provided that in the case of an offence punishable with fine only, no such sum shall exceed the maximum amount of fine which may be imposed for that offence.
(2) Where an offence is compounded under sub-section (1), no proceeding or further proceeding, as the case may be, shall be taken against the offender in respect of the offence so compounded, and the offender, if in custody, shall be released forthwith.
Power to search.
23B. If any gazetted officer of the Central or a State Government authorised by the Central Government 1 [or a State Government, as the case may be,] in this behalf by general or special order has reason to believe that any mineral has been raised in contravention of the provisions of this Act or rules made thereunder or any document or thing in relation to such mineral is secreted in any place 2 [or vehicle,] he may search for such mineral, document or thing and the provisions of section 100 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 shall apply to every such search.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Inserted by M M (R D) Amendment Act, 1999, vide G.O.I. Ext. Part II, Section 1, No. 51, dated 20.12.99 (No. 38 of 1999).
2 Ibid.
27 1 [Power of State Government to make rules for preventing illegal mining, transportation and storage of minerals.