The Supreme Court issued strong remarks against former Uttarakhand forest minister and Congress leader Harak Singh Rawat and ex-divisional forest officer Kishan Chand for their involvement in permitting illegal construction and tree felling within the Corbett tiger reserve.
A bench led by Justice B R Gavai condemned the actions of Rawat and Chand, stating that they have disregarded the public trust doctrine and prioritized personal gain over legal obligations.
The court instructed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), already investigating the case, to submit a progress report within three months.
The bench remarked on the flagrant violation of the law by Rawat and Chand, who exploited loopholes to justify mass deforestation for tourism development.
Expressing disbelief at their blatant disregard for legal provisions, the court established a committee to assess the feasibility of conducting tiger safaris in buffer or fringe zones of national parks nationwide.
Previously, the Enforcement Directorate had conducted raids on the residences of Rawat and Chand in connection with the illicit construction activities within the tiger reserve.
