Mananthavady: The Tirunelly police have registered a case against three forest officials, including a Deputy Range Officer and a veterinary surgeon, for allegedly attempting to siphon off Rs 55,000 from the forest department using forged documents.

The incident, which occurred in 2022, came to light following a complaint filed by North Wayanad Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Martin Lowell. The accused include then Tirunelly Deputy Range Forest Officer Jayaprasad, Thrissileri veterinary surgeon V Jayesh, and forest watcher Kurian.

According to the complaint, the officials conspired with a local woman, Nottanveettil Rahmath, who submitted a falsified claim that a tiger killed her cow. Jayaprasad processed the fake application, while the veterinary surgeon supported it with a fraudulent report. However, the forest department's administrative wing raised suspicions about the authenticity of the claim and conducted an independent inquiry, which revealed the fabricated nature of the documents.

Subsequently, the matter was forwarded to the Forest Vigilance Wing for further investigation. Their findings also confirmed the officials’ culpability, prompting the department to escalate the case to the police. Martin Lowell noted that while the incident occurred in 2022, the vigilance investigation concluded only recently.

Sources said the case has also reignited concerns among local farmers, who have frequently complained about corruption in the forest department. There have been instances where farmers suffering genuine losses from wildlife attacks were denied compensation while fraudulent claims were allegedly approved, they added.

The Tirunelli police are now conducting a detailed investigation into the matter.