Virajpet teak scam: Forest department orders criminal case against eight

 The Forest Department has directed its Virajpet division to register a criminal case against eight employees, including two assistant conservators of forests (ACF), in the teak scam while it awaits clearance from the government to initiate action against the then deputy conservator of forests Y Chakrapani.

The department is probing the incident in which several employees, including Chakrapani, were accused of allowing illegal felling of 66 teak trees many of which were aged more than 100 years. Last week, DH reported on an analysis showing that one of the felled trees was aged about 175 years.

In a letter to the deputy conservator of forests, Virajpet division, the department said criminal cases should be booked immediately against ACFs Uttappa P P (retired) and Seema H, gazetted manager Anita K A, range forest officers (RFO) Ashok Paramanand Hungund and Shankar B M, DyRFO Bopanna C D, first division assistant Hemavati K A and forest guard Rajesh K G.

Sources said initiating action against Chakrapani, an official promoted to Indian Forest Service, will require clearances from the government. "The government is aware of the issue. An order is awaited," the source said.