New Delhi, Feb 20 The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea by an Indian Forest Service officer challenging the sanction granted to the CBI to prosecute him in a case related to alleged illegal constructions and rampant felling of trees in Uttarakhand's Jim Corbett National Park.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said that if the officer, Rahul, argues more against the grant of sanction, then it may even order framing of charges.
“You please rest your case. If you argue further, then we will observe that this is the fit case for framing of criminal charges,” the bench observed, leading the counsel for the forest officer to withdraw the plea.
The bench said the illegal felling of trees had been shown as “bona fide felling”, and questioned whether this did not amount to a criminal offence.
The top court, on November 11, 2025, closed the contempt proceedings against the officer after he tendered an unconditional apology for approaching the Uttarakhand High Court seeking a stay on his prosecution in a CBI case lodged for alleged illegal construction in the national park.
The Uttarakhand High Court had stayed the state government's order granting sanction to prosecute the officer -- also the former director of the Corbett Tiger Reserve -- in the alleged illegal construction and tree felling case, despite the top court being seized of the matter.
On October 15, 2025, the apex court expressed strong displeasure over the development and asked how the high court sat over the appeal against its observations and orders.
The top court had issued the contempt notice to the officer, stayed the high court order, and transferred the judicial records to itself. It later took note of the unconditional apology and pardoned the officer, keeping in mind his 21 years of “unblemished services” and future prospects.
