[ad_1]
A Statewide operation conducted by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has exposed widespread corruption in forest range offices, uncovering evidence of officials collecting over ₹1.07 crore as bribes and kickbacks from contractors.
The operation, code-named ‘Operation Vanaraksha’, was undertaken simultaneously in 71 forest range offices across Kerala on Saturday.
The inspections revealed a deeply entrenched nexus between forest officers and contractors. Projects including roadworks, check-dam and culvert construction, reservoir fencing, soil conservation initiatives and tribal settlement development were found to be marred by large-scale financial malpractices during the past five years.
Inflated bills
Bills were found to have been inflated far beyond actual measurements, substandard works were passed off as complete, and in some cases, projects were abandoned despite full payments being released. The Vigilance probe also found the records of timber sales to be falsified in many offices.
The sleuths seized cash amounting to ₹11,500 directly from officers, along with documents showing benami contracts and evidence of bribe money being funnelled through online transfers, UPI transactions and the accounts of relatives and intermediaries.
Transferred
An inspection at the Vallakkadavu range forest office in Idukki revealed that a contractor had transferred ₹72.8 lakh between June and September to the range forest officer and his relatives. In addition, ₹1.36 lakh was allegedly transferred by the same contractor to the account of an establishment at Edappally, allegedly following the officer’s direction. At the Vattavada range forest office, it was found that the contractor had purportedly transferred ₹31.08 lakh to various bank accounts of the range forest officer, his relatives and suspected intermediaries.
Vigilance officers seized ₹8,500 from the table of an official at the Edavanna range forest office in Malappuram. The range forest officer was also found to have received ₹14,500 through UPI payment from contractors, while unaccounted money of ₹2,900 was found in Karulai range forest office.
Found drunk
In Parottukonam forest range office in Thiruvananthapuram, a driver of the office was found on duty in a drunk state. The local police had to be called for further action, official sources said.
The VACB probe also found irregularities in the compensations granted for wild animal attacks. In many offices, compensation was found to have been granted, despite the absence of sufficient medical documents.
Published – September 28, 2025 08:10 pm IST
[ad_2]
Source link
