Bengaluru: Illegal search lands forest officer in trouble, case filed

Mangaluru: The II JMFC court has directed to register case against senior forest officer Anita Arekal in connection with a private complaint filed by wildlife conservationist Niren Jain.

Niren had filed a private complaint on March 19, 2005 against Anitha Arekal at JMFC II Court for conducting an illegal search of his office and seized personal computer.

After 13 year of court battle, the court, in the order last month, has asked to register a case against the officer.

Mangaluru II JMFC Judge Santhosh S Kunder ordered to register case against the then DCF of Kudremukh Anita S. Arekal under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.

Arekal is now Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF), Social Forestry, Bangalore and has been issued Summons to appear before the Court. In 2004 when Anitha was the DCF of Kudremukh, she had conducted an illegal search of my office and seized personal computer, despite having no jurisdiction or authority to effect such a seizure. This abuse of power was unleashed ostensibly to threaten and harass me for campaigning for stoppage of iron ore mining in the heart of Kudremukh National Park (at Kudremukh).

The mining operation, which was taking a heavy toll on the Bhadra River and its surrounding shola grassland ecosystem, was subsequently closed following a Supreme Court order. Niren had played a major role in the campaign against mining at Kudremukh. Advocate Vikram Hegde had argued for Niren.

In 2005, Chikkamagalur Principal Sessions Judge had held that the entire search and seizure was illegal, without jurisdiction and authority of law. This Order was challenged before the High Court, which on August 12, 2011 dismissed the State’s appeal. In 2011 the High Court had also quashed the FIR filed against Niren Jain.