Uttarakhand HC orders CBI probe into allegations of illegal tree felling, construction at Corbett park

Earlier, the counsel appearing for the PIL petitioner contended that even after the said inquiries and reports, no effective action has been taken by the government against the “culprit officers who are the higher authorities of the government and the forest department”.

The state, on the other hand, submitted that they had acted in the matter by suspending some officers and chargesheeting them while two officials — Kishan Chand, the then divisional forest officer, Kalagarh Tiger Reserve Division, and Brij Vihari Sharma, the then range officer, Sonanadi Range and Pakhru unit of Kalagarh Tiger Reserve Division — have been arrested.

Further, it has also been submitted on behalf of the state that there is no stay of the Supreme Court on the hearing of the present matter, but it would be appropriate to wait for the vigilance inquiry report before passing any order on these petitions.

However, after considering the material on record, the court concluded that the matter falls within the principles enunciated by the Constitution Bench and that they are satisfied that the material discloses a prima facie case calling for an investigation by the CBI.

“All the authorities in the State, if requested, are directed to cooperate with the CBI in conducting a fair investigation into the case,” the Bench said.

The case relates to alleged felling of thousands of trees, financial irregularities, and illegal construction in the Pakhro Tiger Reserve range of Corbett national park in 2019. The same was a pet project of Congress leader Harak Singh Rawat when he was the forest minister in the then BJP government.

Following allegations of illegal construction and felling of trees in the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR), inspections were conducted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority in October 2021 and by the officials of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in December 2021.

The Bench said the inspections found irregularities in the construction of Kandi Road, houses in Morghati and Pakhro forest rest house premises, and construction of a waterbody near Pakhro forest rest house. The inspections also found illegal felling of trees for the proposed tiger safari in Pakhro, and thus a violation of the Indian Forest Act 1927, Forest (Conservation) Act 1970, Wildlife (Conservation) Act 1972, and All India Services Conduct Rules.

Last month, teams of Uttarakhand Vigilance Department raided a medical college and a petrol pump owned by Harak Singh Rawat’s son in connection with the case of alleged irregularities in the construction of Pakhro Safari in Kaulagarh Tiger Reserve of Corbett National Park.

The vigilance raided the Doon Institute of Medical Sciences in Shankarpur and the Amravati petrol pump in the Chiddarwala area of Dehradun. As per sources, vigilance has seized two generators from both places. It is alleged that both these generators were purchased with government money and were installed at the two establishments. During the raids, the team also scrutinised the documents of the institute and questioned the former minister as well as the employees.