4 months ago
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The State Additional Chief Secretary has sought a study from the Chief Wildlife Warden and the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Administration) regarding lapses by the Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) and the Field Director (FD) of Kottayam.
The order, issued by Under Secretary Shaji M.M., stated that erstwhile Thekkady Range Officer Siby K.E. and Vallakkadavu Range Officer Arun K. Nair were suspended connected September 29, 2025. This followed an probe by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) that uncovered grounds of bribery involving contractors moving connected infrastructure improvement projects.
“As per the rules, officials indispensable contented a complaint memo against suspended officers wrong 3 months of the suspension date. However, nary complaint memo has been issued yet. Based connected a Supreme Court order, if a complaint memo is not issued wrong 3 months, the suspended officials indispensable beryllium reinstated into work and appointed to non-sensitive posts,” stated the order.
The bid further stated that the CCF and FD Kottayam (both posts held by the aforesaid person) person yet to taxable a probe report, calling it a “serious lapse.” The Additional Chief Secretary has demanded an mentation arsenic to whether the hold successful issuing the complaint memo was intentional. The bid was issued with the support of Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran.
The 2 scope officers were primitively suspended pursuing the VACB’s “Operation Vanaraksha,” which uncovered grounds of corruption. Subsequently, Rajesh Ravindran, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force, finalised their suspensions.
Specific allegations against Vallakkadavu Range Forest Officer Arun K. Nair see accepting bribes totalling ₹72.8 lakh betwixt June and September 2025. The funds were allegedly transferred to him and his relatives successful aggregate instalments. The VACB besides recovered that Mr. Nair purportedly instructed a contractor to transportation ₹1.36 lakh to a concern constitution successful Kochi.
Meanwhile, Thekkady Range Forest Officer Siby K.E. is accused of receiving ₹31.08 lakh from the aforesaid contractor, positive an further ₹1.95 lakh from 2 different contractors. These payments were allegedly made done nonstop cash, middlemen, and UPI transactions.
While departmental rules necessitate higher officials to contented a complaint memo instantly pursuing a suspension, the Field Director’s nonaccomplishment to bash truthful whitethorn present effect successful the accused officers returning to duty.
