ED files PMLA charge sheet in Corbett illegal construction case; assets valued at Rs 1.75 cr attached

New Delhi, July 22 The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Dehradun, has filed a Prosecution Complaint (charge sheet) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against four former forest officials in connection with illegal constructions inside the Corbett National Park.

The complaint has been submitted before the Special PMLA Court in Dehradun. The officials named in the chargesheet include Kishan Chand, then Divisional Forest Officer (DFO); Brij Bihari Sharma, then Ranger; Akhilesh Tiwari, then DFO; and Mathura Singh Mavdi, then Ranger, all of Uttarakhand cadre.

The case stems from an FIR and chargesheet filed by the Vigilance Establishment, Dehradun, under multiple legal provisions, including the Indian Penal Code, the Forest Conservation Act (1980), the Wildlife (Protection) Act (1972), and the Prevention of Corruption Act (1988).

Later, acting on a court directive, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) re-registered the case as FIR No. RC0072023A0008 on October 11, 2023, and filed its chargesheet.

ED’s probe has revealed that the accused were involved in constructing several illegal structures inside the protected Corbett Tiger Reserve without seeking approvals from the competent authorities.

These acts are alleged to be part of a broader pattern of corruption and abuse of official power. In a significant development earlier this month, the ED provisionally attached immovable properties worth approximately Rs 1.75 crore.

The properties are registered in the name of Rajlaxmi Sharma, wife of accused Brij Bihari Sharma, and Abhishek Kumar Singh and Yugendra Kumar Singh, sons of Kishan Chand.

The ED’s investigation is ongoing and is likely to bring further disclosures in what is emerging as one of the most serious environmental and corruption scandals involving protected forest land in Uttarakhand.

Further action under the PMLA is expected as authorities continue to scrutinise financial trails and asset acquisitions linked to the accused.

--IANS

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