KOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), as part of the probe into money laundering in the Muttil tree felling case, on Monday recorded the statement of Divisional Forest Officer P Ranjith Kumar, who registered the first forest case in the controversial incident. After notice was served on him, Ranjith appeared at the ED office in Kochi and shared details of facts which had emerged in the initial probe, said the ED officials.
The ED had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) in connection with the Muttil case in June and investigation is progressing. The Central agency is looking into the money laundering and amassment of wealth related to the tree felling case.
The case pertains to illegal felling of trees from assigned land at Muttil in Wayanad. The incident had occurred under the jurisdiction of Ranjith Kumar, then South Wayanad DFO. The ED registered its case based on an FIR registered by the Kerala Police at the Meenangadi police station.