Uttarakhand HC seeks CBI response over missing forest boundary pillars, officers alleged wealth surge
DEHRADUN: In a significant development linked to alleged large-scale irregularities in Uttarakhands Forest Department, a Division Bench of the Uttarakhand High Court on Wednesday took cognisance of the matter. It issued notices to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Central Government, the Uttarakhand Government, the Survey of India and the Supreme Courts Central Empowered Committee (CEC). The court action follows a petition pointing to the disappearance of 7,375 forest boundary pillars in the Mussoorie Forest Division and the rapid and unusual rise in accumulation of wealth among territorial forest officers posted in the division over recent years. The Bench, led by Justice Manoj Tiwari, expressed strong displeasure over the sheer scale of the missing demarcation markers. It directed all respondents to file their counter-affidavits within six weeks and listed the matter for further hearing on February 11, 2026. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed by environmental activist Naresh Chaudhary. The petition urges the court to direct the Survey of India to conduct a comprehensive, scientific and geo-referenced survey to accurately locate and restore the missing boundary pillars. It also seeks the implementation of a dedicated Restoration and Reclamation Plan for the affected forest areas. Crucially, the PIL seeks a court directive to transfer all forest lands currently under the control of Revenue Authorities back to the Forest Department within a fixed timeline. The issue surfaced in 2023, when an audit of the Mussoorie Forest Divisions boundaries was ordered by the then Chief Conservator of Forests (Working Plan), Sanjiv Chaturvedi, during the preparation of a new working plan. According to the subsequent report submitted by the then Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Mussoorie, of a total 12,321 boundary pillars, as many as 7,375 were found missing on the ground. Sources familiar with the matter said around 80 per cent of the missing pillars were concentrated in the Mussoorie and Raipur ranges, areas considered highly lucrative for real estate development, including hotels and residential complexes. Following the findings, Chaturvedi escalated the matter. In June and again in August 2025, he wrote to the Head of Forest Force (HoFF), Uttarakhand, demanding that the investigation be handed over to the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate. He specifically sought a probe into the alleged acquisition of substantial immovable properties by the concerned forest officers. However, the petition alleges that internal attempts were made to dilute the findings. It states that the HoFF constituted a fresh internal committee, headed by Conservator of Forests Rajiv Dhiman, IFS, to re-examine the issue. The petitioner has alleged that the committee was intended to downplay the numbers and may also destroy/ temper with evidences, on ground. The petition further notes that several officers on the committee had previously faced scrutiny over alleged financial irregularities linked to Miyawaki plantation schemes and had prior postings in the Mussoorie Forest Division.
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