Ranchi — The Jharkhand High Court on Monday sharply criticised the state government for the slow progress in investigating large-scale illegal tree felling reported across several districts during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown. The court has directed the government to submit a fresh status report within two weeks.
A Division Bench led by Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad expressed concern over the prolonged delay, noting that the matter has remained unresolved for years. During the hearing, officials informed the court that the probe had revealed the involvement of forest department personnel, including range officers, rangers, and forest guards.
The government stated that charge sheets have been filed against two officials, while an arrest warrant has been issued against another accused. Senior officers from the Criminal Investigation Department Jharkhand, including the Additional Director General (ADG) and the investigating DSP, appeared in person before the court as per earlier directions.
The Bench questioned the pace of the investigation and observed that delays of this magnitude could invite serious consequences. In earlier hearings, the court had already expressed dissatisfaction with responses submitted by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and the Director General of Police, warning that a six-year delay could even amount to contempt of court.
The court also rejected the justification of missing documents, stressing that such explanations were unacceptable, especially when the CID had been tasked with conducting a timely and effective investigation.
The case stems from allegations that hundreds of trees were illegally cut and transported out of the state during the lockdown in 2020. The incidents reportedly took place in districts including Jamtara, Palamu, Chaibasa, and Ranchi, with timber allegedly moved in more than 200 trucks.
Following these revelations, FIRs were registered at various police stations, and the CID continues to investigate the matter.
With inputs from IANS