Forester suspended in Malegaon TP scam

Nagpur: A forester involved in the transit pass (TP) scam in Malegaon range of Washim division has been suspended for demanding money from the applicant.
TOI had reported on August 17 that the assistant conservator of forest (ACF), range forest officer (RFO) and lower-rung staff were harassing farmers, while granting permission to fell trees on private land under the Maharashtra Felling of Trees (Regulation) Act, 1964.
Forester HD Rathod was suspended on August 18 by Washim deputy conservator of forests (DyCF) Anand Reddy Yellu. Rathod’s audio asking one Santosh M Ghuge from Medshi to transfer money on the cell phone of his son had gone viral.
The suspended Rathod, who is posted in Kinhiraja, has been asked to report to the RFO’s office in Washim and has been told not to leave the headquarters without prior permission of senior officials.
DyCF Reddy confirmed Rathod’s suspension and said, “DFO (vigilance) is investigating the case. Once I receive the report, appropriate action will be taken.”
Ghuge had procured teak trees felled on the private land owned by a farmer Jagganath Narayanrao Thakre from Borala. The logs that were purchased weighed 8.382 cubic metres through 163 logs.
“However, the forest officials concerned issued a transit pass for 16.43 cubic metres, which comes to 270 teak logs. This was done ostensibly to extract additional money per cubic metre,” said Ghuge.
Meanwhile, former minister Ranjit Patil wrote to state forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar on August 18, demanding action against those involved in irregularities in issuing fake and manipulated transit passes.