The CEC(Central Empowered Committee) constituted by the Supreme Court for looking into the 2008 case pertaining to a illegal road formed in the Pushpagiri Reserve Forest, has asked the Supreme Court to take action against Virajpet MLA & current Speaker of Karantaka Assembly, Mr. K.G Bopaiah, the Madikeri MLA, Mr. M.P. Appachu Ranjan; the ex-MLC, Mr. S.G. Medappa, and the then Kodagu Deputy Commissioner, Mr. M.K. Baladevakrishna, and Conservator of Forests, Mr. G.A. Sudarshan for willfully violating provisions of the forest and wildlife acts and its orders pertaining to these laws within wildlife sanctuaries in the state.
Holding Bopaiah, Medappa and Ranjan responsible for the felling, the CEC observed that;
despite several forest officials raising objection to the construction of roads, the three politicians took a group of people to the spot for construction of road .
The story so far;
- On December 28,2008, the accused ignoring legal warnings and a stay order from supreme court, swoop down at Pushpagiri Reserve Forest with a posse of policemen and villagers and start construction of the road. The then DCF(Deputy Conservator of Forests) of Madikeri, Anil Kumar Rathan rushes to the spot with forest officials to stop the construction and a argument takes place. The DCF and his officials are warned by the accused not to interfere.
- Air Marshal(Retd) Cariappa takes the matter to the court. The Supreme Court constitutes the CEC to look into the matter. CEC issues notice to all the accused asking them to appear before the Supreme Court.
- Meanwhile, disciplinary action is taken against the then Conservator of Forests G.A. Sudharshan in another case of tree felling in a reserve forest during his tenure and he is suspended by the Govt, later re-instated.
- The DCF Mr. Anil Kumar Rathan is suddenly transferred out of Coorg. Allegedly at the behest of the accused.
- CEC visit’s Coorg to inspect the location. The accused tell the CEC that the disputed land belongs to one “Saroja”. CEC officials are offered royal treatment by district administration.
- Circa 2012. CEC submits the report, indicting the accused and asks the Supreme Court for stern intervention against them.
What happened all these years? The Hon’ble Supreme Court of India is so vibrant in other matterts. But this case seems to have been kept in cold storage? Is there any politics in it?