Compounding of offences
53. (1) Any offence punishable under section 32, section 37, section 38, section 39, section 41, section 42, section 43, section 44, section 45, section 46, [section 46A] or section 47, may, either before or after the institution of the prosecution, be compounded by the authorised person or such other officer as may be specially authorised by the Government in this behalf, on payment for credit [to the Institution] of such sum as the authorised person or such other officer may specify :
Provided that such sum shall not, in any case, exceed the maximum amount of the fine which may be imposed under this Ordinance for the offence so compounded.
(2) Nothing in sub section (1) shall apply to a person who commits the same or similar offence within a period of three years from the date on which the first offence committed by him was compounded.
Explanation. For the purposes of this sub section, any second or subsequent offence committed after the expiry of a period of three years from the date on which the offence was previously compounded shall be deemed to be a first offence.
(3) Where an offence has been 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 discharged forthwith.
(4) No offence under this Ordinance shall be compounded except as provided by this section.