Police driver arrested for smuggling timber: 4 Officials Suspended, Probe Ordered
Srinagar, India - A driver of police department was arrested on Saturday on charges of ferrying illegal timber in official vehicle while four officials, including a forester were suspended for helping the police driver to commit such offence. The green timber worth lakhs was seized from police vehicle in Ganderbal area Friday night when the vehicle was moving and intercepted by Forest Protection Force officals.
Forest Minister Qazi Muhammad Afzal ordered the suspension of four employees including a forester.
Sources said that residents of Aarhama, Ganderbal had approached forest minister Qazi Muhammad Afzal alleging that a police driver was smuggling timber from the area in connivance with some forest officials.
Based on the complaint, a special team of Forest Protection Force (FPF) officials was constituted which intercepted a White police gypsy late Friday in the area.
During the checking, the police gypsy was found carrying smuggled timber, sources said
The accused driver of Gypsy No JK 02AA-4726 of police department’s security wing Zahoor Ahmed Wani was arrested on the spot and the vehicle along with the timber was seized.
A case under section 379 RPC and 8 of Forest Act was registered against him. The villagers of the area did not hand over the vehicle to police apprehending they may hush up the case.
Meanwhile, Joint Director Forest Protection Force reached the spot along with additional reinforcement of FPF squad and took the possession of the vehicle and handed over the driver to Ganderbal Police, sources added.
Joint Director Forest Protection Force Liaqat Ali Dar when contacted said that the driver was alleged to have smuggled huge timber from the area. “We were following him in the area,” he said adding, “The arrest was made possible due to the cooperation of the local residents.”
Following the recovery of the timber, forest minister ordered suspension of four forest employees including the Forester of the area.
Those who have been placed under suspension were Ajaz Ahmed, Forester, Ghulam Ahmed, Forest Guard, Muhammad Ismail Khatana, Forest Guard and Ghulam Nabi Najar, Helper. The minister has also ordered probe in the matter.