NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to expedite the investigation of the illegal felling of trees at the Delhi Golf Club on Monday. Several hundreds of logs, which were suspected to be felled illegally, were found inside the prestigious club during an inspection. In a letter to Baijal, Kejriwal requested his intervention to “expeditiously conclude the police investigation in the matter to ensure that offenders are brought to book”.
ALSO READ | Delhi Golf Club in soup for felling trees
The chief minister also claimed that the Delhi Police was not considering the issue seriously. “The Delhi Police should have taken the matter seriously and investigation should have been completed, but it appears that the matter has been brushed under the carpet,” he claimed.
The Forest Department had submitted a report in July to the Nizamuddin police station, which later transferred the case to the Crime Branch. Kejriwal enclosed a copy of the report in his letter. He contended such an offence should not go unpunished as illegal felling of trees in club premises was an environmental damage as well as damage to public property.
“The complainant has pointed out that several influential people, including three former Union home secretaries, two former police commissioners and several serving Delhi Police officers, were members of the club, along with the current Union home secretary. Therefore the complainant has an apprehension that no investigation will be carried out,” he said.
Smell a RAT
Logs were buried in pits dug for hiding them
Forest dept suspects trees cut without a permit