State Act
Section 59. Government may invest Forest officers with certain powers.
59. The 1[Government] may invest any Forest-officer by name, or as holding an office, with the following powers (that is to say):- (a) the powers of a settlement-officer under the Madras Boundaries Act, No. XXVIII of 18601 (b) the powers of a Civil Court to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents: (c) power to hold inquiries into forest-offences, and in the course of such inquiries to receive and record evidence, and to issue search-warrants which Code of Criminal Procedure; (d) power to accept compensation for forest-offences under section 55 and may withdraw any powers so conferred. Any evidence recorded under clause (c) of this section shall be admissible in any subsequent trial before a Magistrate of the alleged offender: Provided that it has been taken in the presence of the accused person, and recorded in the manner provided by section 333, section 334 or section 335 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.