NEW DELHI: The Assam government has put on hold the promotion order of controversial senior forest officer Rajib Kumar Das.
On August 14, the state government in a notification promoted the forest officer Das as Director, Manas Tiger Project, in place of Vaibhav C. Mathur.
Das is currently posted as Forest utilization officer, Assam.
However, a new notification was issued on August 16, which directed the officers along with Das, to remain at their current post until further order.
Along with Das, the order also mentioned the transfer of senior forest officers Vaibhav C Mathur and Rajen Choudhury.
Mathur was transferred from Manas Tiger Project to Conservator of Forest, Lower Assam Social Forestry Circle Bongaigaon. Choudhury was transferred from Lower Assam Social Forestry Circle, Bongaigaon to Conservator of Forest, Eastern Assam Circle, Jorhat.
Das was accused of illegal sand mining and suspended and arrested in 2018 by the Bureau of Investigation of Economic Offences (BIEO) net at Guwahati. He was allegedly involved in a sand mining scam at Doigrongriversand Mahal. He was arrested after absconding for four months.
Activists say Das was hand in glove with illegal sand mining contractors and issued duplicate challan and transit permits for illegal operations at the Doigrongriversand mahal. The BIEO registered a case on December 5, 2017, against Das, then Golaghat DFO and others along with one contractor. Under Das’s supervision, illegal sand mining allegedly prevailed in Golaghat, says environmental activist Goswami BallavApurba.