E-Paper
Forest officer in MP transferred after complaint against BJP lawmaker
Madhya Pradesh’s principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) said the transfer was in the interest of the officer.
A forest range officer posted in Nauradehi sanctuary in Bundelkhand region in Madhya Pradesh was transferred within a fortnight of lodging a complaint with police against a BJP MLA.
Madhya Pradesh’s principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) said the transfer on Wednesday was in the interest of the officer.
Forest officer Tilak Singh Raipuria in his complaint lodged with sub-divisional officer of police (SDoP) at Tendukheda in Damoh district on July 10 accused BJP MLA Dharmendra Singh Lodhi of abusing and threatening him with dire consequences for taking action against two persons who were caught fishing in a prohibited area in the forest.
The forest officer was transferred on Wednesday to Sheopur which is about 500 km away from Nauradehi.
In his complaint to the police, the forest officer had said, “Pankaj Vishwas and Ramkishun Chakraborty of village Sarra were arrested on July 10,2020 under sections 9, 27, 29, 50, 51 (2) of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. I got a call to set them free. The caller introduced himself as Jabera MLA Dharmendra Singh Lodhi who inquired with me as to who had been arrested. When I told him the arrested man was some Doctor saheb who was hunting he said he had received a number of complaints against me and that if I didn’t release the man I would face dire consequences. He used abusive language against me.”
Requesting the police to take necessary action, the officer said in the complaint, “MLA Dharmedra Singh Lodhi exerted pressure on me to let go a criminal and also threatened that he would gherao me with 1,000 people. While there was obstruction in discharging my duties as a government servant, I face a threat to my life.”
An audio clip went viral on social media in which a man introducing himself as the MLA from Jabera constituency Dharmedra Lodhi is heard using abusive language against the officer Tilak Singh and threatening him. Lodhi, as heard in the clip, wanted no action against the fishing accused ‘doctor’ while the officer stood his ground.
The MLA, however, denied that he used abusive language against the officer or threatened him and said there were numerous complaints of excesses against him that he had received from local villagers.
When contacted after his transfer Tilak Singh said, “I take it not as a punishment posting but routine administrative exercise in the department.”
Divisional conservator of forest at Sagar, Naveen Garg said, “There was no recommendation from my side for the transfer of the ranger officer.”
Principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) Rajesh Shrivastava said, “We had received a complaint from the MLA which had in it statements and affidavits of some villagers too. We had sent an officer to conduct an inquiry into the complaint. The officer was transferred based on the inquiry report. We found that the atmosphere over there was against him. Hence, the transfer was effected in his interest.”
(With input from Anupam Pateriya in Sagar)
