Defending the procedures followed by the government in initiating action against forest officials who are accused of misappropriating funds in erecting solar fence around Nagarahole National Park, Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda on Friday assured the Legislative Council of providing detailed reply on the issue next week.
Admitting that it was natural to suspect lapses in the probe, because of the way the inquiry was being conducted, he detailed that the Lokayukta, which probed the allegation, named eight IFS officials and favoured an inquiry by a district judge into the case.
N. Subba Rao, Retired District Judge, exonerated five IFS officers, indicting three after investigating the allegations. A Department inquiry had been ordered against the three, which was progressing, he stated. “As I don't have facts on hand, I will provide detail reply next week”, he said.
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In his reply to K.C. Kondiah of the Congress, Forest Minister C.P. Yogeshwar said that the Lokayukta indicted eight officials, and after examining explanations filed by them it was decided to conduct a departmental inquiry and the former district judge N. Subba Rao was appointed for the purpose. Giving clean chit to five of the eight officers, he indicted three including Ravi Ralf, M.V. Krishne Gowda and A.M. Annaiah, he said.
After examining the report submitted by Mr. Subba Rao, the government concluded that there were no clear evidence and charges against them were dropped in July 2011. It had been decided to initiate disciplinary action against 81 forest officials and appointed former district judge S.Y. Kambar to inquiry in to the charges levelled against them in January 2012. On receiving the report action would be initiated against them, he stated.
M.C. Nanaiah, Janata Dal (Secular) floor leader, sought an explanation from the Chief Minister on the need to inquire the scam by district judges after Lokayukta indicting IFS officers, and asked the reason behind exonerating officers indicted by district judge and making lower officials scapegoats in the incident.
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Wondering why the government was insulating ‘corrupt' bureaucrats, he appealed to the Chief Minister against protecting them.