Kerala: CAT stays elevation of forest officer facing probe in tree-felling case

The then CCF, south zone P K Kesavan had pointed towards Sajan for “gross negligence and misuse of power” in connection with the Wayanad tree felling case

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Monday stayed the appointment of Indian Forest Service Officer N T Sajan, whose name cropped up in the Wayanad tree-felling case, as the Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) south zone, according to officials.

Wayanad tree-felling incident came to light in June last year after the state forest department seized a truckload of rosewood from Ernakulam district. (Representative Photo/HT File)

Wayanad tree-felling incident came to light in June last year after the state forest department seized a truckload of rosewood from Ernakulam district. Later, the forest department found that the trees were axed by misusing an October 2020 order that permitted cutting trees on land assigned under the Kerala Land Assignment Act. Smugglers misused the order to cut trees from private and forest land. Trees worth ₹50 crore were cut in Mutttil in Wayanad alone.

Five arrests were made when case erupted, including three brothers Roji Agustine, Anto Agustine and Josekutty Agustine, all timber merchants and two their aides.

The then CCF, south zone P K Kesavan had pointed towards Sajan for “gross negligence and misuse of power”. He, however, escaped with a mere transfer from Kozhikode to Kollam.

Though Sajan’s elevation raised eyebrows, state forest minister A K Saseendran on Sunday brushed them aside, saying it was a routine round of promotion.

One of the aggrieved forest officials who was superseded, Sanjayan Kumar had moved the CAT on Saturdayquestioning Sajan’s elevation over him.

There were also allegations that some of the upright officers like D K Vinod Kumar, divisional forest officer Dhanesh Kumar and range officer M K Sameer, who helped unravel the Wayanad tree felling case were shifted to insignificant posts to weaken the case.

After the case, many similar incidents were reported from other districts and 54 cases were registered and the role of some forest officials also cropped up. Then Union environment minister Prakash Javedkar had also sought a report from the state government.