COIMBATORE: The forest department placed Boluvampatti forest range officer S Arokiasamy under suspension on Friday after 382.45kg sandalwood was seized from his wife’s agricultural land at Venkateswarapuram in Srivilliputhur in Virudhunagar.
Arokiasamy has served more than a year at the Boluvampatti range, an official said. “Sandalwood trees were cultivated in the agricultural land owned by Arokiasamy’s wife Kalaivani. Her relative, who was taking care of the land, had cut some of the trees and kept the logs in a room. After the relative passed away a few months ago, some farm workers were laid off. The workers informed forest department officials in Srivilliputhur about the illegal sandalwood storage. We seized 382.45kg sandalwood on Thursday and registered a case against Kalaivani under the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882,” he said.
Arokiasamy was placed under suspension to ensure that the investigation is fair, the official said. “He will be paid subsistence and dearness allowance. He should not leave his headquarters in Coimbatore without obtaining prior permission.”
A special team has been formed to investigate the incident.