Sukma, Chhattisgarh: In a significant development on Thursday, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer in connection with the misappropriation of tendu leaf bonus funds in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district. 2015 batch IFS officer Ashok Kumar Patel, was serving as the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Sukma at the time of the alleged financial irregularities.
Deputy Director of Prosecution, Mithilesh Verma, confirmed Patel’s arrest and stated that the officer was presented before Special Court Judge (Prevention of Corruption Act), Neeraj Sharma. Following the court’s ruling, Patel was remanded to six days of police custody, which will last until April 23.
The case revolves around the alleged embezzlement of approximately Rs 7 crore, intended as bonus payments for tendu leaf collectors, primarily tribal forest dwellers. Patel and other officials reportedly diverted the funds, which were never credited to the intended beneficiaries due to a lack of bank accounts among the collectors. Instead, the money was allegedly misappropriated for private use.
Tendu leaves are a major forest product in Chhattisgarh, with tribal communities traditionally involved in their collection as part of state-run procurement schemes. The scandal, which involves multiple forest department officials, has raised serious concerns about corruption within the system.
In connection with the investigation, the ACB-EOW recently conducted raids at 12 locations across Sukma district. The searches led to the recovery of critical evidence, including mobile phones, electronic devices, and documents related to bank accounts and investments. In a further twist, Rs 26 lakh in cash was found at the residence of Rajshekhar Puranik, an employee of the DFO’s office.
The scale of the misappropriation prompted the state government to take immediate action, suspending Patel from his position as DFO of Sukma. A criminal conspiracy is alleged to have been orchestrated by Patel, along with several committee managers, who deliberately withheld the incentive remuneration for the tendu leaf plucking season of 2021-2022.
A case has now been officially registered, with further investigations underway. The ACB-EOW’s thorough search of the properties of CPI leader Rajshekhar and other forest officials has raised new questions about the extent of the corruption involved.
The investigation continues as authorities work to uncover the full scope of the scandal, with more arrests and charges possible in the coming days.
