Green Minute News:
Karnataka government has suspended R Gokul, senior IFS officer in the HMT forest denotification case. As per Karnataka government order dated June 4, 2025, the APCCF & Director General, EMPRI, Bengaluru is placed under suspension with immediate effect, pending inquiry.
This controversy pertains to 599 acres of forest land that was handed over to HMT in 1960s for development of infrastructure and other industrial works. However, the HMT case relates to attempts to de-notify 443.6 acres of forest land worth Rs 14,000 crore by filing an IA in the Supreme Court. These forest lands had been sold to private and government companies, real estate and private estate developers by HMT in collusion with IAS and IFS officers.
During the period of suspension, the forest officer shall not leave the Headquarters, under any circumstances without the written permission of the State Government, the government order states.
According to the order, the IFS officer had filed an IA before the Supreme Court seeking permission for denotification of forest land granted to HMT Ltd. This forest land measuring about 443.6 acres is situated at Peenya-Jalahalli Plantation, Bengaluru. The IA was filed by the IFS officer without obtaining the approval of the then Minister-in-charge or sanction from the Karnataka Cabinet.
Accordingly, preliminary notices were issued by Forest, Ecology and Environment (FEE) Department seeking explanation of All India Service Officers – Sandeep Dave, IAS (retired), the then ACS (Forest) Vijay Kumar Gogi, IFS, (retired) the then PCCF, Smitha Bijjur, IFS, APCCF and R Gokul, IFS, the then CCF & Litigation Conducting officer in the said IA.
In the aftermath of the replies received from the three senior forest officers (except Sandeep Dave, IAS), they were examined by FEE Department and referred along with the opinion of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms to examine and initiate necessary action.
However, after the issue of preliminary notice by FEE Department, R Gokul, IFS, wrote a letter to the CBI without prior intimation or obtaining permission of the State Government for seeking protection with reference to Belekeri Port Iron Ore theft cases and also requested them to investigate the reasons for issuing a notice and defaming through media and to provide him adequate protection.
Further, the IFS officer, without prior intimation or obtaining permission of the State Government filed an Intervention Application (113311/2025) in the Supreme Court against IA (190307 /2024 wp (c) agr / 199s) filed by the State Government in the apex Court for withdrawal of the IA (60477 / 2020 in wp (c) s3z / 199s) related to the denotification of lands belonging to HMT Ltd.
The State Government had examined the necessary files and records in this matter and sought a report on the denotification of lands granted to HMT under Forest Conservation Act, 1980 from Additional Chief Secretary (Forest) and to investigate and intimate if there are any lapses or any irregularities committed by the officers in the said matter.