ED raids residences of former U’khand forest minister, ex-IFS official

The ED on Wednesday raided the residences of former Uttarakhand minister Harak Singh Rawat and ex-IFS officer Kishand Chand here in connection with illegal constructions and felling of trees in the Corbett Tiger Reserve, officials said.
They said illegal construction was allegedly carried out, water bodies were created and trees felled on a large scale in the Morghatti and Pakhro ranges of the reserve when Rawat was the state’s forest and environment minister.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating a disproportionate assets case against Kishan Chand, the officials said, adding that a vigilance probe is also underway against him in a corruption case.
Considered close to the former minister, the ex-IFS officer was in jail for more than four months in the case. He is out on bail at present. An ED team also raided the Haridwar residences of Rawat and Chand, the officials further said.
They said the team reached Chand’s luxurious house in Nand Vihar in two vehicles from Dehradun at 7 am.
Kishan Chand has held many posts in the forest department in Uttarakhand over the years. Serious allegations have been levelled against him such as misuse of government funds and making payments to contractors through fake bills.
Kishan Chand was suspended along with a forest ranger, Brij Bihari Sharma, in the case.
Chand was arrested in Delhi in December 2022. Last April, he got a conditional bail from the high court.
Harak Singh’s residence in Kotdwar was also raided.