Kozhikode: In the tree-felling case, it has emerged that a phone call was allegedly made by a prominent person in the office of the then Forest Minister to the accused on the day rosewood logs, worth crores of rupees, were smuggled from Muttil in Wayanad.
The controversial order, issued by the revenue department on October 24 last year, was cancelled on February 2 this year. The phone calls were made the next day. Accused Anto Augustine had called a member of the Minister’s personal staff member at 9.30 am and hung up in a second. And soon after, the prominent person called Anto's phone. The call duration was 83 seconds.
On that afternoon, 54 logs (of 13.3 cubic meters) axed from Muttil were smuggled through the Lakkidi check-post in a vehicle (KL 19 2765) without inspection.
The same personal staff member had called Anto again on February 17 and 25, records show. A phone call was made at 3 pm on February 17 with a duration of 65 seconds and another call at 3.34 pm on February 25 lasted 708 seconds.
Apart from this person, an IFS official and assistant conservator of the forest department had constantly called to the accused's mobile phones. The Wayanad range officer, deputy range officer, his wife in the revenue department, and section forester had also allegedly telephoned the accused several times.
When the tree felling was going on in full swing, another assistant conservator was also constantly in contact with Anto.
The information has emerged amid investigations by the Crime Branch and the forest department regarding the Muttil tree felling. Though the forest department had sought the actual status of the smuggled logs and the land where the trees stood three times, the revenue officials have not given it.
Despite the range officer denying the pass, the timber was smuggled out. Allegations were raised earlier itself that the timber was smuggled with the connivance of certain officials in the forest department. It would have to be checked if there is any link between the laxity on the part of the employees and the phone calls.
Where was the flying squad?
The vehicle number, KL 19 2765, is not recorded in the copy of the register of the forest department's Lakkidi check-post. A copy of the register was obtained through the Right To Information Act. The rosewood timber was smuggled in this vehicle from Muttil to a mill at Karimugal in Ernakulam on February 3.
The staff claim that there is not enough facilities or manpower at the check-post to check all the vehicles.
The probe team of the forest department had found that the accused had escorted the lorry, that smuggled the timber, till Perumbavoor.
The flying squad, which was on duty even at the district borders till the previous day, had conspicuously gone missing on this particular day.
The IFS official, who had taken up the temporary charge of the Kozhikode flying squad, had allegedly contacted the accused person more than 50 times from February 13 to 16.
