RAUTAHAT: Ranger Laxmi Karna, accused of being involved in illegal deforestation and riverine resource exploitation, has been transferred from the Gaindatar Sub-Division Forest Office to the Provincial Forest Directorate in Janakpurdham.
The move follows growing complaints and mounting pressure on the authorities regarding her alleged misconduct.
Karna, previously acting as the head of the sub-division office, had reportedly been working in close coordination with Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Hemanta Prasad Sah and Forest Management Branch Head Ram Ganesh Sah.
The trio is accused of operating an illegal network facilitating logging and the excavation and transportation of stones, gravel, and sand.
DFO Hemanta Prasad Sah has been removed from his post amid the investigation. According to Provincial Forest Directorate Director Jagannath Jaiswal, a formal probe is underway into the complaints of collusion and abuse of authority.
Though Jaiswal refrained from disclosing specific reasons for Karna’s transfer, he said it was carried out “for a special purpose within the directorate’s jurisdiction.”
Sources allege that despite the transfer, efforts are ongoing to reverse the decision. DFO Sah has reportedly visited key provincial offices in Janakpurdham—including the Ministry of Forest and Environment and the Chief Minister’s Office—to pressure for Karna’s reinstatement.
Karna, who hails from the constituency of Forest Minister Tribhuvan Sah, is believed to have political backing. Reports also claim that DFO Sah offered a significant sum of money to facilitate her return.
Karna was asked to report to the Directorate within three days, followed by a 24-hour notice after failing to appear. She has not complied with either directive.
Meanwhile, DFO Sah insists he is unaware of any investigation into forest exploitation, stating, “My job is to work. Let the investigation proceed.”
The controversy has also drawn in local political figures. Karna is reportedly leveraging her connections with Janmat Party’s district leader Lalit Mallik Sanu and Chief Minister’s Press Advisor Anil Kumar Karna to overturn her transfer.
Despite the political noise, Forest Director Jaiswal affirmed that the transfer decision was made in coordination with relevant stakeholders and is in line with efforts to strengthen the institution’s integrity.
Chief Minister’s Press Advisor Anil Kumar Karna clarified that the transfer process is governed by rules, not personal affiliations, and emphasized that the Directorate is the official authority for such decisions.
Comment