Vikram Simha reportedly felled hundreds of scheduled trees in around 12 acres of land, including over 5 acres of Revenue Department property.
File photos of Pratap Simha and Vikram Simha. (Supplied)
The Parliament security breach spectre has not even died down for Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, and he is already mired in another row, this time involving his brother Vikram Simha.
Vikram is apparently at the centre of an environmental scandal, having been booked for the unauthorised felling of hundreds of scheduled trees in the Nandagondanahalli village in the Belur taluka of the Hassan district of Karnataka.
This alleged clandestine operation on government land was exposed when Belur Tahsildar Mamatha went for a field visit to the village.
An FIR was registered against the BJP MP’s brother on the charges of chopping off hundreds of scheduled trees without the permission of the authorities concerned and smuggling the valuable wood.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre confirmed to South First that he has ordered a detailed investigation.
He also gave assurances of taking prompt action, as per the law, against the accused irrespective of their political relations and affiliations.
However, Vikram is yet to be arrested despite 10 days having passed since the filing of the FIR.
Meanwhile, the Congress — currently in power in Karnataka — took a dig at Pratap Simha for issuing visitors’ passes to the intruders who breached security and opened smoke canisters while the winter session was underway in the Lok Sabha on 13 December, and his brother being accused of “looting government resources”.
BJP MP Pratap Simha’s brother Vikram is into coffee and ginger farming. He has been booked for his alleged role in the unauthorised felling of hundreds of scheduled trees over 12 acres, including 5 acres of government land.
The incident, characterised by the absence of necessary permissions from forest officials, raised serious questions about environmental preservation and compliance with legal procedures.
The valuable trees were reportedly cut without any permission from the relevant authorities.
Complicating matters further, the government was in the process of allocating 4 acres of the affected land to two individuals from the Belur taluka, and Vikram Simha had entered into an agreement with these two for ginger cultivation on that land.
Hassan’s Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) R Ravishankar officially confirmed to South First the legal action, citing Vikram Simha’s purported attempt to smuggle wood by chopping down over 100 scheduled trees on the government’s revenue land.
Belur Tahsildar Mamatha exposes wood smuggling scandal in Hassan district.
He told South First: “It is true that a person named Vikram Simha has chopped off hundreds of scheduled trees in over five acres of government land with an intention to smuggle. A case has been registered against him.”
He added: “No one is allowed to cut these trees in the government land without the permission of the authorities concerned as these are scheduled trees — government property. The trees that have been chopped off in the agreement land were still in the government process for allocation.”
He also said: “The investigation has been launched. The action will be initiated as per the laws. We are not under any political pressure.”
When South First tried to reach Belur tahsildar, she did not respond to the phone calls.
Karnataka’s Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre confirmed to South First on Sunday that he had ordered a probe into the case.
Khandre told South First: “I have sought the details about the incident from the Hassan CCF. As per the primary reports, an FIR has been registered against Vikram Simha for illegally uprooting hundreds of scheduled trees, which is a big loss to the environment.”
He added: “It is a clear violation of law. There are also allegations that trees were chopped off and smuggled as well. No one is above the law. I have directed the officials concerned to initiate action as per the laws. We will initiate action against the accused, irrespective of his political relations.”
On whether he was aware that accused Vikram Simha was the brother of MP Pratap Simha, the minister told reporters in Chitradurga: “I did not know that the accused was the brother of the BJP MP.”
He added: “The investigation is underway. Based on the outcomes of the investigation, action will be taken. Chopping hundreds of trees without permission is clearly a violation of law.”
Meanwhile, the Congress’ Karnataka took a swipe at Pratap Simha, accusing his family of indulging in smuggling wood worth crores.
Describing it as a cinematic-style wood theft scandal, the Congress in its post on X (formerly Twitter) said Mysuru MP Pratap Simha was “busy giving passes to Parliament intruders while his brother Vikram Simha is involved in wood theft”.
ಅಣ್ಣ @mepratap ಸಂಸತ್ ದಾಳಿಕೋರರಿಗೆ ಪಾಸ್ ನೀಡುವ ಕೆಲಸದಲ್ಲಿದ್ದರೆ ತಮ್ಮ ವಿಕ್ರಮ್ ಸಿಂಹ ಸಿನಿಮೀಯ ಮಾದರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮರಗಳ್ಳತನದಲ್ಲಿ ತೊಡಗಿದ್ದಾನೆ.
ಸಂಸದ ಪ್ರತಾಪ್ ಸಿಂಹನ ಸಹೋದರ ವಿಕ್ರಮ್ ಸಿಂಹ ಹಾಸನ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಬೇಲೂರು ತಾಲೂಕಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಕೋಟ್ಯಂತರ ರೂಪಾಯಿ ಬೆಲೆ ಬಾಳುವ ಮರಗಳನ್ನು ಕಡಿದು ಸಾಗಾಟ ನಡೆಸಿರುವುದು ದಕ್ಷ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಯಾದ ತಹಸೀಲ್ದಾರ್… pic.twitter.com/5m5ZYZrMDl
— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) December 23, 2023
It added that the revelation, brought to light by the diligent tahsildar, suggested that Vikram Simha, in collusion with some forest department officials, illicitly felled trees worth crores of rupees.
The Congress addressed the BJP directly, questioning the activities of their elected representatives and their families, asking, “Dear @BJP4Karnataka, why are your elected representatives and their families busy looting?”
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