Nagpur: In an unprecedented move, a range forest officer (RFO) has been issued a show-cause notice by the forest department’s highest-ranking officer PCCF (HoFF) for posting on WhatsApp groups a complaint against him that the superior officer says is frivolous and fake.
According to the complainant Mangesh Desai, a lawyer from Yavatmal, ‘money changed hands’ in recent promotions and postings of 85 foresters to RFOs. The order was issued by PCCF UK Agrawal on August 31. Desai’s complaint had gone viral on social media and forest circles in the state.
Agrawal, who is due to retire on November 30, told TOI, “No lawyer in the name of Desai exists in Yavatmal. We have received a letter from the bar association that there is no such lawyer in town. This seems to be the handiwork of some staff within the department.”
This may be perhaps first such case where a top officer has put an RFO on notice. Based on the complaint, a vernacular daily from Yavatmal published a news on August 29.
The show-cause notice, issued on September 5, to RFO Sunil Wakode, posted in Akot wildlife division of Melghat, alleged he forwarded the defamatory news on WhatsApp groups on August 29, at 4.03pm. The RFO was also summoned by Agrawal in his office at Nagpur on September 4.
Agrawal checked Wakode’s cell phone but could not find anything. Later, RFO was sent to police cyber cell along with two RFOs VS Gangawane and Nilay Bhoge but police too could not detect anything. “We sent the RFO to cyber cell as we wanted to confirm from where the message had originated and who is the real culprit. The RFO should prove he is not guilty,” said Agrawal.
Wakode confirmed, “I have received show-cause notice. It is quite surprising and disturbing how the notice went viral on social media, without me getting the same first.”
In his reply, Wakode has said, “It is very routine when you receive message you forward it. I did the same and as a usual practice I deleted many messages at night. I can’t exactly tell from where the message was generated and received.”
Wakode alleged that he was made to sit till 9pm and was also taken to the police station in Civil Lines where his personal mobile was checked without his consent. “I was treated like a criminal by the HoFF and three men kept a watch on me. I have already pleaded my innocence and ignorance,” he said.
On stretching the issue based on a fake complaint, Agrawal says, “Before posting such a defamatory message and magnifying it on social media, the RFO should have informed the department. It is certainly an act of indiscipline and all fingers point at him.”
Wakode has been asked to clarify in three days and has been asked to remain present at Van Bhavan, forest department’s headquarters, on September 9 with his cell phone for further action.
According to the complainant Mangesh Desai, a lawyer from Yavatmal, ‘money changed hands’ in recent promotions and postings of 85 foresters to RFOs. The order was issued by PCCF UK Agrawal on August 31. Desai’s complaint had gone viral on social media and forest circles in the state.
Agrawal, who is due to retire on November 30, told TOI, “No lawyer in the name of Desai exists in Yavatmal. We have received a letter from the bar association that there is no such lawyer in town. This seems to be the handiwork of some staff within the department.”
This may be perhaps first such case where a top officer has put an RFO on notice. Based on the complaint, a vernacular daily from Yavatmal published a news on August 29.
The show-cause notice, issued on September 5, to RFO Sunil Wakode, posted in Akot wildlife division of Melghat, alleged he forwarded the defamatory news on WhatsApp groups on August 29, at 4.03pm. The RFO was also summoned by Agrawal in his office at Nagpur on September 4.
Agrawal checked Wakode’s cell phone but could not find anything. Later, RFO was sent to police cyber cell along with two RFOs VS Gangawane and Nilay Bhoge but police too could not detect anything. “We sent the RFO to cyber cell as we wanted to confirm from where the message had originated and who is the real culprit. The RFO should prove he is not guilty,” said Agrawal.
Wakode confirmed, “I have received show-cause notice. It is quite surprising and disturbing how the notice went viral on social media, without me getting the same first.”
In his reply, Wakode has said, “It is very routine when you receive message you forward it. I did the same and as a usual practice I deleted many messages at night. I can’t exactly tell from where the message was generated and received.”
Wakode alleged that he was made to sit till 9pm and was also taken to the police station in Civil Lines where his personal mobile was checked without his consent. “I was treated like a criminal by the HoFF and three men kept a watch on me. I have already pleaded my innocence and ignorance,” he said.
On stretching the issue based on a fake complaint, Agrawal says, “Before posting such a defamatory message and magnifying it on social media, the RFO should have informed the department. It is certainly an act of indiscipline and all fingers point at him.”
Wakode has been asked to clarify in three days and has been asked to remain present at Van Bhavan, forest department’s headquarters, on September 9 with his cell phone for further action.
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