Corruption Case Filed Against 19, Including RPP Lawmaker and Forest Officials

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has initiated legal action against 19 individuals, a list comprising a Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) lawmaker, Janaki Prasad Yadav and seven forest officers hailing from Kapilvastu district. The case, lodged at the Special Court, centers around allegations of corruption and the unauthorized felling of trees beyond permissible limits.

The investigation has shed light on the involvement of the Gautam Buddha Collaborative Forest Management Committee in the illicit deforestation activities, underscoring the scope of the issue.

Among the accused, prominent names include former District Forest Officer Krishna Dutt Bhatta, Divisional Forest Officer Durga Bahadur Karki, Forest Management Committee Coordinator Mahendra Raj Wagle, Assistant Forest Officer Brahma Dev Mahatto, and Ranger Hemraj Pandit, among others.

The CIAA’s findings reveal a staggering financial loss of Rs. 29,12,000 incurred by the government due to these unlawful activities, signaling the severity of the corruption.

Furthermore, the case encompasses a broader spectrum of individuals allegedly involved in the wrongdoing, such as former Assistant Forest Officer Ganesh Kumar Tharu, Foresters Ram Rakshya Kurmi and Ramtu Chaudhary, and Forest Security Guards Sanjay Tharu, Sanjay Kewat, and Ram Gopal Tripathi. Additionally, individuals associated with businesses, including Janki Prasad Yadav, Ek Nath Ghimire, and Gita GC, have been implicated in the case.