MANSEHRA: The anti-corruption establishment arrested three officials, including a district forest officer, after their pre-arrest bail was cancelled by a local court here on Saturday.

The ACE has booked the DFO, Siren forest range, Amjad Samad, forest officer Mohammad Niaz and forest guard Mohammad Javed in a case of illegal cutting of forest and extending support to timer smugglers.

The suspects had availed pre-arrest bail by a special anti-corruption court in Peshawar just after the registration of FIR by ACE Mansehra on February 3.

“Yes, we have arrested three officials of the forest department involved in timber smuggling and illegal cutting of forests in their jurisdiction, said Mohammad Sohail, the circle in-charge of ACE, while speaking to media men.

He said that the three were booked under section 409 of PPC and section 5(2) of Prohibition of Corruption Act.

Mr Sohail said that all the three were presented before the senior civil judge who handed them over to ACE for a two-day physical remand.

He said that more such inquiries were also being conducted against forest officials and those found involved in plundering the green gold would be taken to justice as government wanted to end timber smuggling and deforestation in the district.

He also appealed to the people to contact the ACE in case of illegal cutting of forests and timber smuggling without any hesitation and fear as their identity would be kept secret.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play