CAG seeks documents related to financial irregularities at Jim Corbett

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has sought documents related to alleged financial irregularities in the Kalagarh and Lansdowne forest divisions of the Corbett Tiger Reserve from Uttarakhand's Head of Forest Force Vinod Kumar Singhal.

Singhal had written to the state government recently, recommending a CAG probe into alleged misappropriation of funds worth crores of rupees in the two forest divisions of the reserve.

Now, the CAG has sought relevant documents from the officer to start its probe.

Funds worth crores of rupees from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority and other heads had been released for the two forest divisions but were not utilised for works they were meant for, Singhal had said.

Suspended IFS officer Kishan Chand misused Rs 1.43 crore of the funds to buy refrigerators and air conditioners rather than spending the amount on sanctioned works, he alleged.

The then head of forest force and chief wildlife warden also did not pay attention to the irregularities committed by Kishan Chand, who was the DFO of Kalagarh, Singhal further claimed.

Large-scale misappropriation of funds committed during Kishan Chand's tenure has come to light, the official added.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority first conducted a probe into the allegations.

Taking suo motu cognisance of its findings, the Uttarakhand High Court conducted a probe into the irregularities.

The matter finally reached the Supreme Court and a central empowered committee is now probing it.

The then Ranger Brij Bihari Sharma, DFO Kishan Chand and Chief Wildlife Warden J S Suhag are currently under suspension.