Muttil Tree Felling: Court Slams Illegal Orders; High-Ranking Officials Venu and Jayathilak Remain Unpunished

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The controversial Muttil tree felling case has once again pushed the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government into a corner following sharp observations by the Wayanad Additional District Court. While a legal net tightens around local farmers and low-ranking officials, the senior IAS officers who allegedly paved the way for the massive forest plunder—Chief Secretary Dr. A. Jayathilak and former Chief Secretary Dr. V. Venu—remain seemingly untouched under government protection.

Court Rejects ‘Administrative Cover’ for Looting In a significant setback for the accused, the Kalpetta District Judge, acting as the appellate authority under the Kerala Forest Act, observed that no government circular or executive order can override existing legal frameworks for forest protection. The court’s remarks effectively strip away the “legal shield” used by the prime accused, the Augustine brothers, who claimed they were merely following government orders.

High-Level Complicity Alleged The roots of the scam trace back to two controversial directives from the Revenue Department:

• The Venu Circular: A circular issued on March 11, 2020, by then-Principal Secretary Dr. V. Venu, which was previously declared illegal by the High Court.
• The Jayathilak Order: A subsequent order on October 24, 2020, by Dr. A. Jayathilak, which notoriously stated that officials who obstructed the felling of trees (except sandalwood) would face disciplinary action.

Critics argue that these orders were tailor-made to facilitate the felling of centuries-old rosewood trees worth crores. While the High Court and District Court have flagged these directives as legally untenable, the architects of these orders continue to hold the highest administrative offices in the state.

Scapegoating the Grassroots While the “masterminds” enjoy immunity, the legal fallout has devastated the local community. Small-scale farmers who trusted the government orders, timber merchants, and junior officials—from Village Officers to Range Officers—now face criminal charges under the Kerala Promotion of Tree Growth Act. Possible penalties include two years of imprisonment, heavy fines, and the confiscation of property.

Legal experts point out that issuing orders that facilitate illegal acts constitutes a “criminal conspiracy” under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. However, despite multiple investigations by the Vigilance and Forest departments, the senior bureaucrats involved have not even been summoned for questioning, leaving a massive question mark over the fairness of the probe.