Kozhikode: The Sulthan Bathery judicial first class magistrate court has granted permission to the forest department to auction timber logs, including those from centuries-old rosewood trees, confiscated in the Muttil tree-felling case. The timber, valued at approximately Rs 4 crore, is currently stored at the department's Kuppadi depot.
Auction Permission Granted
The department had sought permission for the auction, arguing that prolonged exposure to rain and sunlight could diminish the market value of the confiscated logs, which are government property. Earlier, the Wayanad district and sessions court had dismissed a plea filed by the Augustine brothers, the accused in the case, challenging the confiscation of the timber. Following that, the forest department moved the Sulthan Bathery court for approval to auction the timber.
The court had previously directed the department to prepare a detailed mahazar, verification report, and inventory of the confiscated logs. The auction permission was granted on Monday after these documents were submitted.
Scope of the Order
According to the Meppadi forest range officer, the order covers timber confiscated in 43 cases registered under Crime No. 281/2021, which was investigated by the special investigation team (SIT). “The order will also apply to timber seized in other related cases, for which detailed inventories have already been submitted,” the official said.
Background of the Case
The SIT filed its first chargesheet in the Muttil tree-felling case in December 2023 against 12 accused, including the Augustine brothers — Roji Augustine, Josukutty Augustine, and Anto Augustine. Subsequently, in February, the team filed chargesheets in 36 additional cases before the Sulthan Bathery court, naming the Augustine brothers among the accused.
According to the chargesheet, large-scale felling of trees was carried out under the cover of a controversial order issued by the revenue department in October 2020. That order permitted farmers to fell trees, except sandalwood, that they had planted on lands assigned to them under the Kerala Land Assignment Rules, 1964, as well as trees that had grown on such land thereafter.
Allegations and Government Action
The chargesheet states that the accused felled trees worth crores of rupees during 2020-21 by misinterpreting the government order and deceiving many landowners on whose properties the trees stood. Following the controversy, the then LDF government withdrew the disputed order in February 2021.
Timber worth crores of rupees that was allegedly felled illegally remains stored at the Kuppadi depot. Authorities have found that many of the seized logs are between 100 and 500 years old. Police had earlier confiscated timber valued at around Rs 8 crore in connection with the case.
