Muttil tree felling: Hours after order to take back officials facing allegation, officer who busted smuggling transferred

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It has been only a few hours since the minister froze the controversial order of the forest department chief to take back the officials facing allegations in the Muttil tree felling case. Meanwhile, the officer who found the scam was transferred. MK Sameer, a forest officer who caught wood smuggled from Wayanad's Muttil, has been transferred to Walayar Forest Institute. He is a Forest Officer in Meppadi.

Northern Circle Chief Forest Conservator Vinod Kumar DK said in an order yesterday that a chargesheet had been filed against the accused officers but they were taken back into service after denying the charges.

Meanwhile, Forest Minister AK Saseendran said that a special team is investigating the tree felling case and all matters related to it will be investigated. "An order has been given to hand over the investigation reports so far to the special team. A decision would be taken after receiving the report", he said.