Five forest dept officials get bail

 
The five officials had been arrested on the charges of misusing their powers by leaking out bid information to the bidders prior to the public auction at Thithimathi forest depot in southern Kodagu. They were also facing the charges of possessing Rs 2.5 lakh illegally.

The accused were produced before the district court on Friday but the court had rejected their bail plea. It had ordered for judicial custody to them till October 15. In the meantime, the court took up the bail plea of the accused officials on Monday and granted them bail on the conditions that they should not go out of station, should not destroy the witness and that they should cooperate with the police for further investigation.

Virajpet sub-division Deputy Conservator of Forests H C Kantharaj, Thithimathi division Assistant Conservators of Forests C J Kariappa, M G Alexander, forest guard N M Nachappa and Thithimathi forest depot range forest officer C K Muttanna had been caught by the Lokayukta police.