THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Chief Secretary Dr A Jayathilak could face a Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau inquiry in connection with the Muttil tree-felling case, with the home department likely to entrust the anti-graft body with the probe.
Jayathilak, who was Revenue Secretary in October 2020, had issued an order allowing farmers to fell trees on land assigned to them under the Kerala Land Assignment Rules. The order was allegedly misused to fell several high-value trees in the Muttil area.
Forest Minister Shibu Baby John is expected to hand over the recommendation for a Vigilance probe to the home department before the weekend, a source said.
There is an allegation that Jayathilak issued the order despite reservations expressed by officials of the revenue and forest departments. The opinions of the law and forest departments were also not sought before issuing the order, it was reportedly found.
The High Court had passed an interim order against the revenue department’s move, but this was reportedly not brought to the notice of the ministers during the Cabinet meeting.
The order allowed farmers to fell trees they had planted, those that had naturally grown on the land and trees that were already standing when the land was assigned to them. Until then, the government retained absolute ownership of high-value ‘scheduled trees’. Under the new order, however, farmers were allowed to fell trees such as rosewood, teak and ebony, except sandalwood.
The controversial order was revoked about four months later after authorities found that timber smugglers had exploited the provision to smuggle high-value trees. The forest minister had questioned the motive behind the order and suggested that there could have been a conspiracy behind Jayathilak’s move.
Reporter Channel managing editor Anto Augustine and his two brothers are the prime accused in the case. According to the police chargesheet, 104 protected or endangered rosewood trees were cut and smuggled from revenue patta land in Muttil village in Wayanad. A total of 12 people, including those who allegedly helped the tree-cutting gang, have been arraigned as accused.
