The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Rajasthan government to file a report on the death of a forest ranger who was allegedly dragged by a dumper while trying to stop it amid suspected illegal mining, as the court examined the continuing menace of illegal sand mining in the Chambal sanctuary.
A bench headed by justice Vikram Nath, also comprising justices AG Masih and Sandeep Mehta, treated the matter as urgent and sought details of the action taken following the incident. He added that action had been taken and a detailed action taken report would be filed by the next date. The court granted time for the state to file its response. The court had taken assistance from the expert body, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), in the matter. The CEC highlighted the issue of providing legal protection to forest officials who are required to confront the sand mafia, which possesses sophisticated weapons. Noting that similar notifications extending protection to forest guards in Odisha and Assam have yielded positive results, the CEC recommended that the three states extend this protection to forest officers within three months.
The matter will next be heard on October 6. The report said that Section 218(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) requires prior sanction to prosecute a public servant charged with an offence committed in the discharge of official duty.
Rajasthan Additional Advocate General Shiv Mangal Sharma, however, told the court that the incident had no connection with the Chambal sanctuary and was not a case of illegal sand mining. He said action had been taken and a detailed action taken report would be filed by the next date. The dumper was involved in carrying soil dug illegally near a pond at the spot with a JCB machine, according to the police. Sharma told the court that the incident had no connection with the Chambal sanctuary and was not a case of illegal sand mining.
