More than a decade after allegations of fund misappropriation in a forest afforestation project, the Karnataka government has taken action against one of the accused officials. The case involves the misappropriation of Rs 1.75 crore allocated for compensatory afforestation over 1,134 acres in the Kolar division.

In 2014-15, funds were allocated for afforestation in the non-forest areas of Antaragange, but an inquiry by the Forest Department found that these funds were misused. The investigation focused on two officials: Abdul Khader, the then Range Forest Officer (RFO), and G.A. Gangadhar, the Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF).

The inquiry concluded that while charges against Gangadhar were not substantiated — with the officer not being found involved in the misappropriation — Khader, who failed to respond to a show-cause notice, was held responsible. Khader did not provide a written response over a four-month period and did not attend the enquiry, leading to the conclusion that the charges were proven against him.

As a result, Khader’s pension will be reduced by one-third as punishment. Meanwhile, the charges against Gangadhar were dropped, as there was no evidence linking him to the financial irregularities. The promotion of Gangadhar to Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) added to the complexity of the case, and his actions were not found to warrant disciplinary action.

Sources within the department have indicated that it is common for senior officials to be cleared of charges, with lower-ranking officers often facing consequences. This development has raised questions about accountability in the Forest Department, particularly concerning the treatment of senior officers.

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