Corbett illegal tree felling case: FIR against Uttarakhand IFS officer, others

Uttarakhand vigilance department on Monday registered a case against Indian Forest Officer Kishan Chand, and others in a case related to illegal constructions and felling of trees in Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR), said officials.

Kishan Chand, the then divisional forest officer Kalagarh Tiger Reserve, was suspended in April this year and he retired on July 31.

Vigilance officials added the FIR just mentioned the name of IFS officer as accused.

It was registered under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Forest Act and Indian Penal Code (IPC), a vigilance official stated.

Amit Sinha, director (vigilance) said, “We have registered a case against the IFS officer and others after securing permission from the government. The FIR doesn’t mention any other name or number of other accused. The matter is under investigation. Whoever’s name will crop up during the course of the investigation, we will interrogate the person.”

Also Read: Illegal infra in Corbett: Vigilance department gets nod to book officer, others

After conducting a preliminary inquiry into the matter, the vigilance had submitted its report to the government.

On Saturday, the vigilance secured the government’s permission for the registration of the FIR against the accused.

Chand, however, refuted the allegations.

Over a telephonic conversation, he said, “I have done nothing wrong. I did everything as per the government mandate. The infra had started coming up before my joining. I joined in May 2021 and the work had begun in October 2020. In my reply to the chargesheet issued against me, I have attached all documents in my support of innocence. If I have already submitted my reply to the chargesheet, registration of FIR against me is not justified.”

In April, taking action against illegal constructions and felling of trees in Corbett, the state government had suspended two IFS officers - JS Suhag, the then chief wildlife warden and chief executive officer (CAMPA) and Kishen Chand, the then divisional forest officer Kalagarh Tiger Reserve, while CTR director Rahul, was removed from his post and attached to the office principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) Dehradun. It came after PCCF Rajiv Bhartari was removed from his post and posted as chairman of the state biodiversity board in November last year.

In January this year, the high court had directed the state’s chief secretary and principal secretary of forests to take action against the officers found guilty in the case of illegal constructions and felling of trees in Corbett’s Pakhro and Morghati areas and submit an action taken report to the court.

On April 17, the state government had served a show cause notice to Rahul, director CTR for illegal construction and felling of trees for the proposed tiger safari in CTR. He was directed to reply to the notice within 15 days.

On October 27, HC while taking suo motu cognizance of media reports over illegal constructions and felling of trees in CTR, had directed the union government, principal chief conservator of forests to inspect CTR with regard to the allegations.

The matter relates to the petition originally filed by Gaurav Bansal, Supreme Court advocate and wildlife activist. On a petition filed by him, the Delhi high court regarding illegal constructions, felling of trees and construction of approach roads in Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR), the court on August 23 last year had directed National Tiger Conservation Authority to look into the issues raised in the petition.

Following the court directions, NTCA constituted a committee on September 5, which inspected CTR between September 26 to September 30 and submitted its report on October 22 last year.

Bansal said the NTCA committee found that in order to allow illegal construction of roads and buildings in CTR, it seems forest officers of reserve had forged the government records.

Following the inspection, the NTCA committee not only recommended vigilance inquiry against Uttarakhand Forest officers but also recommended union forest and environment ministry to take strong action against the erring forest officers, Bansal said.