India: 13 cases against corrupt forestry department

GUWAHATI – In what indicates growing corruption in the Forest
Department, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption has more
than 13 cases and inquiries against officials of the department.
Significantly, the cases involve officials of the department from the
rank of forester to that of Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF). The
directorate recently obtained a conviction in a disproportional assets
case against Md Muzibuddin Ahmed, Forest Ranger of Dalamara in Karbi
Anglong district.

An official statement said that a thorough inquiry
by the directorate following a complaint revealed that the officer,
during his service in the department till December 1993 acquired
assets worth 13.70 lakh whereas his total income from known sources of
income was only Rs 5.33 lakh. After the case was placed in the Court
of Special Judge, Assam, it convicted the accused under Section 13 (2)
of the Prevention of Corruption Act and sentenced him to undergo one
year’s simple imprisonment and to pay Rs 1,000, in default to undergo
simple imprisonment of one month. The Forest Department apart, the
Education Department, the DRDA under the Panchayat and Rural
Development Department, and the Public Works Department (PWD) have a
large number of corruption cases with the directorate. The directorate
recently also charge-sheeted Nasiruddin Mazumder and Munindra Kumar
Bhattacharjee, both then officers of PWD (Roads) ‘B’ Subdivision,
Hailakandi, Assam, in a case of preparing false muster roll for
repairing of Hailakandi-Gharmurah Road for 1990-91. The duo, instead
of spending the full amount for repair of the road, prepared false
bills to the tune of Rs 7890, drawing the amount from the imprest fund
of the department. “In the process they gained pecuniary advantage for
themselves and others and thereby committing the offence of criminal
misconduct under Section 13 (1) (d) (II) of the Prevention of
Corruption Act 1988, read with Section 468 Indian Penal Code,” the
release said, adding that the chargesheet had been submitted to the
Court of the Special Judge, Assam, in Guwahati.
http://ne.icrindia.org/2008/12/18/graft-cases-in-forest-dept-up/

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