Major Forest Department Shakeup After Khair Wood Smuggling Bust
The Chief Conservator of Forests for Valsad division has taken decisive action by suspending Navsari district's Range Forest Officer (RFO) and a woman forester following the seizure of hundreds of valuable Khair tree logs in Maharashtra. The suspension comes as a direct result of alleged negligence and corruption that enabled a sophisticated smuggling operation to flourish.
The Palghar Interception That Exposed the Racket
In the first week of November, Maharashtra forest officers made a significant breakthrough when they intercepted a container loaded with hundreds of Khair tree logs on National Highway 53 in Palghar. During routine inspection, officials discovered the illicit cargo and immediately apprehended the truck driver and cleaner for questioning.
The investigation took a crucial turn when the truck driver revealed that the consignment had been loaded by one Arjun Patel at Godthal village in Chikhli taluka of Navsari district. This revelation prompted Maharashtra authorities to alert Valsad Deputy Conservator of Forest, Lokesh Bhardwaj, about the possible involvement of local forest department personnel.
Widespread Corruption Uncovered
Assistant Conservator of Forest Ruchi Dave was assigned to investigate the smuggling case, leading to dramatic developments. Raids conducted at Arjun Patel's residence uncovered approximately 332 tonnes of Khair bark valued at over Rs 3 crore stored in his backyard. Patel, who has been described as a notorious smuggler with decades of experience, was formally booked under the Forest Conservation Act on November 7.
During interrogation, Patel disclosed the involvement of 19 individuals in the smuggling network, including his own son and cousin. A senior forest department officer revealed that Arjun Patel operated with the collusion of forest department officials from Vansda and Chikhli in Navsari district. The smuggler systematically procured Khair wood from farmers, processed the bark, and transported it to Chiplun in Maharashtra before distribution to other states.
The scandal deepened with the emergence of spy camera footage allegedly showing corrupt practices within the forest department. An alert citizen had secretly installed a camera in the woman forester's office in Chikhli, capturing videos that later went viral on social media. The footage reportedly showed the forester counting bribe money received from smugglers, with the RFO frequently visiting her office to discuss illegal payments from Khair wood smugglers.
Departmental Action and Ongoing Investigation
Following the viral videos, a team of senior forest officers from Gandhinagar conducted surprise inspections at Chikhli and Vansda forest offices. Examination of documents revealed incriminating evidence linking both officials to the smuggling nexus. On Thursday, Chief Conservator of Forest for Valsad district, B. Suchindra, suspended woman forester Hetal Patel, followed by the suspension of RFO J D Rathod on Friday.
The suspension orders state that both officials will remain suspended until the complete investigation into the matter concludes. The case highlights the high demand for Khair wood from South Gujarat regions including Valsad, Navsari, and Dangs. This valuable resource is extensively used in medicines, Catechu (Paan kaththa), and paan masala production, making it a prime target for illegal smuggling networks operating across state borders.
