In a recent development, the Uttarakhand Vigilance Team carried out extensive raids on an institute situated in Shankarpur, Dehradun, as well as a petrol pump located in Chhiddarwala. The focus of these investigations is Harak Singh Rawat, a former Forest Minister of Uttarakhand and a prominent member of the Congress party.
V Murugesan, the State Vigilance Chief, made a statement asserting that upon careful examination of the documents at both locations, it became evident that both properties were linked to Harak Singh Rawat. Particularly noteworthy is the revelation that the vigilance team uncovered evidence indicating that two generator sets, positioned within these private establishments, were allegedly procured using government funds. An ongoing inquiry is actively underway, as further details are sought to shed light on this matter, as highlighted by the vigilance chief.
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Murugesan offered clarity on the matter by specifying that the sites subjected to the raids—namely, the Doon Institute of Medical Sciences in Shankarpur and the petrol pump—belong to Mr. Rawat’s son. However, he refrained from confirming whether the former minister himself is implicated in the alleged misappropriation of government funds. He emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing and that all relevant information will be disclosed once the inquiry reaches its culmination.
The decision to initiate these vigilant operations received the authorization of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. It is pertinent to note that during Harak Singh Rawat’s tenure as the state forest minister within the BJP government, he, along with some of his departmental officers, faced accusations of being involved in unauthorized tree felling and construction activities within the Pakhro range of Corbett Park, as part of the Tiger Safari Project.
The Forest Survey of India (FSI) released findings indicating that more than 6,000 trees were reportedly felled illicitly within the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR), in contravention of the sanctioned limit of 163 trees for the Pakhru tiger safari.
In response, the state forest department contested the FSI’s assertions, citing unresolved technical issues that necessitated resolution before the report could be definitively accepted.
