Forest land scam: SC junks officer’s plea

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to come to the rescue of a Karnataka government officer, who was dismissed from service for illegally granting more than 134 acres of forest land to some 30 people as a tahsildar in Kolar district.

A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta dismissed a petition filed by E Ramakrishnappa against the Karnataka High Court’s judgement of March 26, 2018, that had declined to interfere with the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal’s order.

The tribunal had rejected an application by the officer, then working as undersecretary, against his dismissal on August 27, 2013.

Advocate S N Bhat, representing Ramakrishnappa, contended no charge for personal gain was made against the petitioner.

The bench, however, cited the findings recorded against him in the enquiry by the regional commissioner. “See how much land was allotted by you,” the bench said.

The counsel, then, pleaded to let the petitioner retire from the service. The bench, however, did not accept the request.

Ramakrishnappa, posted at Srinivasapur taluk in Kolar district during 2001-04, was served with the charges of passing several “reckless” orders, illegally granting various tracts of lands, including 134 acres of forest land.

He contended no disciplinary action can be initiated, alleging misconduct against a civil servant, in respect of any order passed by him in discharge of his duties as a quasi-judicial authority.

Rejecting his plea, the high court had said, indisputably, tahsildar is the head of revenue department in a taluk and custodian of revenue records and must be aware of records about nature of land.