‘Fake permission': Delhi forest dept to Supreme Court on tree felling in Ridge area; forged document used for Vasant Kunj housing project
Supreme Court
that a 'fake permission' was fraudulently issued in the name of the deputy conservator of forests, allowing tree felling in the ecologically sensitive Ridge area of Vasant Kunj for a housing project.
The disclosure came in an affidavit submitted in response to a petition filed by environmental activist Bhavreen Kandhari.
The plea alleges that the land falls within a morphological ridge protected under the Supreme Court's May 9, 1996 order, which mandates prior permission for any tree felling or land diversion.
"It is pertinent to mention that it had come to the attention of the answering respondent that a fake permission was issued for tree felling in the name of the office of the deputy conservator of forests/tree officer West Forest Division, which was found issued to Rakesh Kumar Sharma...,"
the affidavit stated.
The affidavit, filed by the deputy conservator of forests (West Division), said a letter was written on December 13 to the Station House Officer of Vasant Kunj Police Station, seeking registration of an FIR over the alleged forgery.
According to the forest department, the assistant sub-inspector handling the FIR later responded that the forged document was illegible, the location could not be traced, and the accused Rakesh Kumar Sharma denied any wrongdoing.
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"The assistant sub-inspector has requested an original copy of the forged permission to process the matter further; otherwise, the complaint shall be closed. It is pertinent to mention that the same issue is sought by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC)... and the intimation of the same has already been sent on March 3, 2025," the affidavit added.
The forest officer also informed the court that on March 13, 2025, he replied to the SHO, stating that the copy of the alleged forged permission shared earlier was the only one available with the department.
The petition further alleges that despite no court approval, construction activities were carried out on the disputed land for residential buildings. The petitioner claimed the
Municipal Corporation of Delhi
had sanctioned the building plans and that 'officials of the Forest Department, GNCTD and the Ridge Management Board took no action to prevent the said activity or stop the same.'
The Ridge area in Delhi, known for its ecological significance, is divided into five zones: Northern Ridge, Central Ridge, South Central Ridge, Southern Ridge, and Nanakpura South Central Ridge.
The Supreme Court and other authorities have issued multiple orders for its protection over the years.
On May 7, the apex court issued a show-cause notice to relevant authorities, questioning why contempt proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, should not be initiated for the alleged violation of its 1996 order. The matter is scheduled to be heard on July 21 by a bench led by Justice Surya Kant.
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