Almost 30 years after the matter came to light, and nine years after the death of former Chief Minister Amarsinh Chaudhary, Gujarat government today tabled in the Assembly the Lokayukta report indicting him.
Chaudhary, a Congress leader, had faced inquiry for allowing illegal cutting of trees in the Surat district between April 1983 and May 1985 when he was the forest minister.
Present forest minister Ganpat Vasava tabled the 37-page report today.
This is the first Lokayukta inquiry which has indicted a former Chief Minister in Gujarat. The inquiry was over in 2003, but the report was submitted to the state government in 2006 after the High Court rejected Chaudhary's petition against it.
The report comes at a crucial time as Lok Sabha elections are round the corner.
"Between 2006 and today, we did not deem it proper to table the Lokayukta report in the state Assembly as the same post was vacant and there was controversy over the appointment of Lokayukta," Vasava told PTI, explaining the delay.
The report by the then Lokayukta S M Soni has indicted Chaudhary, who died on August 14, 2004, under IPC sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public function), 189 (threatening a public servant) and 120(b) (conspiracy), apart from the Prevention of Corruption Act.
It said: "The late Chief Minister was involved in the issue of illegal cutting of around 2.13 lakh forest trees worth Rs 14 crore in seven regions of Surat district of south Gujarat. In 1985, when Gujarat was witnessing Assembly elections, Chaudhary had allowed people to cut trees for political gain. He has also directed forest officials to go soft on the people involved in illegal tree cutting activity. He had allowed people in the region to cut a tree and give a vote".
