Kochi: It has been found that serious manipulations have been done in the register to magnify the number of sambar deer being protected at Kaprikad Mini Zoo and to swindle about Rs 1.5 crore. The plot to financial defraud was set by creating fake records about the birth of baby sambar deer in the deer enclosures.
Following a preliminary investigation, the Forest Vigilance department has recommended suspending all staff involved in the incident. The officers’ ‘idea’ to make ‘corrections’ in the old registers to match the number of births when the Forest Vigilance and Forest Conservator’s inquiry stepped up however failed as the ‘corrections’ did not reflect in the carbon copies.
With this, Ernakulam Flying Squad DFO Manu Sathyan filed a preliminary investigation report as he was convinced that large-scale fraud has been happening here for years together.
The same contractor has been bringing feed for the animals at different centres of the Forest and Wildlife for several years now. A ‘share’ of the revenue from the ‘joint business’ of the officers in charge of the centre and the caretakers used to reach the higher officials too. The ‘corrections’ in the register were made when they realized that these clandestine deals would come to light.
All documents and records in connection with the financial dealings at Kaprikad Abhayaranyam have been seized by the Vigilance over the past two days. The records would be inspected in another two days. The Forensic department’s help would be sought for handwriting examination to identify the officers who made the ‘corrections’ in the register.
The Vigilance’s preliminary report confirms the allegations and seeks a serious probe into the matter.
As per the records, the most number of sambar deer babies have been born at the centre in 2019 – 46 fawns. There has been large-scale fraudulence in the daily register. In the written (with pen) inspection report, it has been added ‘Baby sambar deer seem to be born in the 4th enclosure.’ However, this information is missing in the carbon copy of the page. The Vigilance has found many such ‘additions’ and ‘corrections’ made in the register.
“The details that have come out are of serious nature and shameful to the Forest Department. Stringent action will be taken on getting the inquiry report,” said Forests and Wildlife Minister A K Saseendran.
