Kathmandu: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has taken legal action against 19 individuals, which includes eight forest officers from Kapilvastu. The charges allege corruption in connection with exceeding the permitted limit of tree cutting.
The CIAA has officially lodged a corruption case at the Special Court, accusing the Gautam Buddha Partnership Forest Management Committee of allowing the unauthorized cutting of trees beyond the approved limit.
Among the accused are former District Forest Officer (DFO) Krishna Dutta Bhatta, Divisional Forest Officer Durga Bahadur Karki, Gautam Buddha Partnership Forest Management Committee Implementation Unit Coordinator and Forest Officer Mahendra Raj Wagle, Assistant Forest Officer Brahma Dev Mahato, and Ranger Hemraj Pandit.
According to the CIAA, the illicit wood cutting activities have resulted in a financial loss of Rs 2.9 million to the state coffers. The case aims to address the alleged corruption and bring accountability to those involved in the unauthorized tree-cutting activities.