The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea filed by an Indian Forest Service officer challenging the sanction granted to the CBI to prosecute him in connection with alleged illegal constructions and large-scale tree felling inside Uttarakhand’s Jim Corbett National Park.
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi, indicated that continued arguments against the prosecution sanction could prompt the court to direct framing of criminal charges. Following the court’s remarks, the officer’s counsel withdrew the plea.
During the hearing, the bench questioned the manner in which the tree felling had been recorded, noting that it was shown as “bona fide felling.” The court asked whether such conduct did not amount to a criminal offence.
The judges cautioned the petitioner to “rest your case,” adding that further submissions could lead the court to record that the matter was fit for framing of criminal charges. The warning led to the withdrawal of the challenge to the prosecution sanction.
The officer, a former Director of the Corbett Tiger Reserve, is facing a CBI probe over alleged illegal constructions and widespread felling of trees within the national park.
The litigation has seen multiple proceedings before the apex court. On November 11, 2025, the Supreme Court had closed contempt proceedings against the officer after he tendered an unconditional apology for approaching the Uttarakhand High Court to seek a stay on his prosecution despite the matter being pending before the top court.
Earlier, the Uttarakhand High Court had stayed the state government’s sanction to prosecute the officer. The Supreme Court had expressed strong displeasure with that order on October 15, 2025, questioning how the high court could pass such directions while the issue was already under consideration before it.
The apex court had then stayed the high court’s order, transferred the judicial records to itself, and issued a contempt notice to the officer. It subsequently pardoned him after taking note of his apology and his 21 years of “unblemished services” and future prospects.
With the withdrawal of the plea, the challenge to the sanction for prosecution stands closed, clearing the way for the criminal proceedings to move forward in the alleged Corbett illegal felling and construction case.
