Range forest officer caught red-handed

SURAT, June 7: A range forest officer of the Dumas range of the department was caught red-handed by Anti-Corruption Bureau sleuths while accepting Rs 10,000 as a bribe on Saturday. ACB officials said he had demanded the money in return for allowing the farmer to cut down trees on his land.

Dashrathbhai Ambalal Patel, the RFO, allegedly demanded a total of Rs 50,000 for permission to fell trees from one Laxmanbhai Parshottam Patel, after the Kamrej Mamlatdar referred the matter to him. The felling of teak and bamboo trees is forbidden under law.

On hearing the demand, Laxmanbhai complained to the ACB, who set a trap. Even as the ACB sleuths kept watch, the farmer went to the RFO8217;s Dumas house with powdered notes of Rs 10,000, the first instalment of the Rs 50,000 demanded. Dashrathbhai was arrested as soon as the money was handed over to him, and legal proceedings initiated immediately.

PIs A M Rathod, L J Merujay, S D Chaudhari and others carried out the raid.