Muttil tree felling case: areas from where trees were cut have not been fully identified

KOCHI: The Kerala government has informed the High Court that it has not been able to identify the forest areas from where the seized timbers were collected. It also informed that the forest department had registered 31 cases for cutting down rosewood trees.

The accused claimed that the trees were cut down from land owned by two individuals. Meppadi Forest Range Officer MK Shameer said in an explanatory memorandum that the size of the stumps in their fields did not match the seized logs. The explanation was given against the bail application of the accused in the Muttil tree felling case. The explanation was given in the anticipatory bail petition filed by accused Roji Augustine, Anto Augustine, and Josekutty Augustine.

Efforts are on to seize the remaining timber cut by the accused. It was found that the timber was not transported through the Vythiri check post. Only the bill for the purchase of the timber was presented. Permission to cut down and transport timber has not been produced. Timber was smuggled using forged documents. The accused are absconding. The government informed that the custodial interrogation of the accused is necessary to identify the exact areas from where the timbers were collected.

It also informed the court that the accused have been threatening the range officer and others ever since the report was filed in the court.