(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, Samvat 1989, the Government or any officer authorized by it in this behalf may accept from any consumer or licensee or the person who committed any offence punishable under the Act, a sum of money by way of compounding of the offence as specified in the Table below :––
TABLE
Offence Rate at which the sum of
money for compounding to be
collected
1 2
1. Offences punishable under clauses (a) Rupees ten thousand. to (l) of sub-section (1) of section 156.
2. Offences punishable under clauses (a) Rupees five thousand. to (m) of sub-section (s) of section 156.
3. Offences punishable under sub-section Rupees five thousand. (1) of section 159.
4. Offences punishable under sub-section Rupees fifty thousand. (2) of section 159 or section 166 or
section 174.
5. Offence punishable under sections 160 Rupees five thousand plus the to 162. cost of material stolen, injured
or damaged.
6. Offence punishable under sections 163 Rupees ten thousand : to 165 or section 167 or section 168.
Provided that the Government may, by notification, amend, vary or modify the rates specified in the table above.
(2) On payment of the sum of money in accordance with sub-section (1), any person in custody in connection with that offence shall be set at liberty and no proceedings shall be instituted or continued against such consumer or licensee or person in any criminal court.
(3) The acceptance of the sum of money for compounding an offence in accordance with sub-section (1) by the Government or an officer empowered in this behalf by it shall be deemed to amount to an acquittal within the meaning of section 403 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, Samvat 1989.
(4) The compounding of an offence under sub-section (1) shall be allowed only once for any consumer, licensee or any other person.