Madhya Pradesh: Case against forest officials in black buck poaching case

Madhya Pradesh forest department’s special task force (STF wildlife crime) has booked four forest department employees for letting off four of the seven alleged poachers roam scot free in a black buck poaching case. “During our investigation we found serious dereliction of duty, misuse of official position, taking money from the suspected poachers, changing the seized weapon of one of the accused with another weapon, producing only three people in the court instead of seven they had caught initially”, the official said.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/blackbuck-poaching-case-mp-s-stf-wildlife-crime-books-four-forest-officials/story-hd0fajDi3ZWdZ5wzlCcGsM.html

A north Bengal forest ranger people love to call ‘Singham’

In the forests of North Bengal, timber smugglers and poachers are in trouble. A 39-year-old forest ranger has come to be known as the ‘Forest Singham’ (lion of the forest) after having arrested hundreds of wildlife and timber smugglers. In 2016, Sanjay Dutta and his team seized 14 leopard skins, 500 pieces of leopard and tiger bones, two rhino horns, live geckos, seven skins of clouded leopard and 11 jars of snake venom.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/kolkata/a-north-bengal-forest-ranger-people-love-to-call-singham/story-zhgLEgjX96wX1niA1g4DOI.html

Poachers shot dead a forest guard in Andhra Pradesh

Poachers shot dead a temporary forest guard of Andhra Pradesh forest department during patrolling at East Godavari district on 22 October 2017.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/forest-dept-aide-killed-in-hunters-firing/article19902577.ece

Suspected poachers shot a forest guard in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve

One forest guard was seriously injured when criminals shot him during patrolling in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Uttar Pradesh on 17 October 2017.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bareilly/-wildlife-criminals-shoot-forest-guard-6-booked/articleshow/61134728.cms

14 get life term for forest officer’s murder

The Nizamabad District SC, ST Sessions Court in Telangana convicted and sentenced 14 persons, including a woman and a couple, to life imprisonment for their involvement in the murder of Forest Officer in September 2013. The murder occurred when the officer, along with the staff, had gone to the spot on information that some persons were cultivating in forest department land, after grabbing them.

http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Telangana/2017-09-26/14-get-life-term-for-forest-officers-murder/329018

Two forest officers held for accepting bribe in Maharashtra

Two forest officers including a Range Officer were arrested by Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) for accepting bribe from a contractor for releasing the payment of a work done in Wildlife Sanctuary.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/two-foresters-held-accepting-rs-19-500-bribe-117042401305_1.html

Forest guard convicted for accepting bribe

Special Judge, ACD Cases in Udaipur, Rajasthan had found guilty in a forest guard who accepted ₹1,100 as bribe in June 2005 and sentenced him to two years rigorous imprisonment and ₹10,000 fine.

Killing of poacher: Police book forest official for murder

In Karnataka a forest officer who had won the ‘Best Wildlife Protector’ award from the Forest Department for 2013-14 for performing his duty diligently and honestly today stands accused of murder. Deputy Range Forest Officer Ravi of Doddaalahalli section, Sangam Range, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary has been booked under IPC Sections 302 and 201 by the police for causing the death of an alleged poacher Gurumurthy on March 16.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2017/mar/22/sathanur-police-book-forest-official-for-murder-1584202.html

Illegal loggers killed two forest officers in Andhra Pradesh

Forest Beat Officer Lazarus (40) and Bade Saheb (35), assistant beat officer, were axed to death on 9 April 2016 morning after they reportedly tried to stop an auto carrying wood from the forest in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/two-forest-officers-axed-to-death/article8457022.ece?css=print

Range Officer caught while accepting bribe

A Forest Range officer who demanded eight per cent commission to clear the bills was caught red-handed by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Warangal, Telangana.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/acb-nabs-mulugu-forest-range-officer/article7676124.ece

DFO's office burnt down in Chandel, Manipur

Office of Divisional Forest Officer - Tengnoupal Forest Division in Chandel district of Manipur was set on fire by unidentified miscreants on 15 September 2015.
http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=18..160915.sep15

Orangutans not yet seized in Andhra Pradesh

Faced with the embarrassment of releasing a gang that had been caught transporting two baby orangutans last week, the West Godavari police blamed Forest Department officials and even staff of the Vizag zoo for not identifying the endangered animals correctly and alerting them to the existence of a smuggling racket. “We referred the case to the forest authorities and they said the animals were only monkeys and that they did not figure in the list of endangered species. So we freed the gang,” said a police officer.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/police-forest-officials-blame-each-other-over-orangutans/article7343894.ece

Dy. Range officer suspended for supporting illegal cutting

A Dy. Forest Range Officer posted in Hassan district of Karnataka has suspended for supporting illegal cutting of trees and helping to transport the timber to a sawmill.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/range-officer-suspended-for-supporting-illegal-cutting-transporting-of-timber/article7282279.ece

Rs 19.25 lakh recovered from a DCF

Anti-Corruption Bureau of Maharashtra led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Sanjay Purandare searched an Indian Forest Service Officer, while he was boarding a bus to Pune with a bag containing the cash, a press note issued by ACB said. Officer had reportedly taken money from many forest guards and officials for managing their transfers to their desired places.
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/maharashtra/acb-searches-nagpur-forest-officer-recovers-rs-19-25-lakh/

Panna TR director transferred for opposing Ken-Betwa river linkage

In a recent administrative shake up of forest officials, Panna Tiger Reserve director was transferred to Kuno wild life sanctuary where introduction of Gujarat lions is still a distant dream. Director had submitted an adverse report on the ambitious Ken-Betwa river link saying it would affect tiger habitat. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/Director-Panna-tiger-reserve-transferred-for-opposing-Ken-Betwa-river-linkage-email-reveals/articleshow/47253143.cms

Forest officer charged with fraud

In Uttarakhand, an Indian Forest Service officer is accused of bungling with funds of his department. The funds were drawn from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/Narender-Nagar-forest-officer-charged-with-fraud/articleshow/47207555.cms

Range Officer sentenced to three years imprisonment

A forest range officer was sentenced to three years rigorous imprisonment by the court of the special judge for Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) cases in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh for accumulating assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/Forest-ranger-convicted-by-ACB-court/articleshow/46143179.cms

Poachers killed a forest guard and a rhino in Assam

Poachers shot dead a rhinoceros and took away its horn and a forest guard was killed in cross firing at Orang National Park on early morning today.
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/rhinoceros-poached-in-assam-s-sonitpur-district-home-guard-killed-642139

Government orders DFO’s retirement a year in advance

Himachal Pradesh government ordered the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) concerned to retire with immediate effect as he reportedly had failed in taking timely cognisance of large-scale illicit tree felling in the Khokra forest area of Nalagarh Forest Division.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/government-orders-dfo-s-retirement-a-year-in-advance/19313.html

Dy. Ranger caught for accepting bribe

Madhya Pradesh Lokayukt caught red-handedly a Deputy Range forest officer for accepting Rupees 5,000 as bribe.
http://naidunia.jagran.com/madhya-pradesh/dewas-dewas-district-deputy-ranger-bribe-arrested-254827