23 Blackbucks dead in Jungle Safari: who is protecting the culprits?

Raipur | Correspondent: The string of sudden animal deaths at Chhattisgarh’s Jungle Safari continues unabated.

In August alone, 23 blackbucks died at the Jungle Safari in Chhattisgarh. Over the past few months, 35 out of the 36 blackbucks in the sanctuary have succumbed.

Earlier, last year 17 four-horned antelopes had claimed due to negligence of doctors.

Despite various allegations, investigations, and directives from Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh, the forest department has not found it necessary to remove Dr. Rakesh Verma, the Jungle Safari veterinarian held accountable for these deaths.

The situation has escalated to the point where Jungle Safari officials are actively attempting to conceal the continuous animal fatalities.

It was revealed during a recent Assembly session that Dr. Rakesh Verma, the veterinarian accused of negligence in the deaths of 17 four-horned antelopes in November, had gone on holiday during the crisis, despite a written denial of leave.

An investigation into the matter confirmed several serious allegations against him, including forgery, falsifying postmortem reports, and concealing his release on bail.

Following these findings, Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh ordered the immediate removal of Dr. Verma.

However, the Forest Department refrained from taking action, amid widespread rumors of Dr. Verma’s close ties with State Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Sudhir Agarwal has reportedly recommended nothing more than a “warning” to Dr. Verma from the outset, despite his involvement in the deaths of several animals at the Jungle Safari.

Even allegations of irregularities in Dr. Verma’s appointment were not addressed, raising further questions about the handling of this case by top forest officials.

Animal deaths continue as Medical Officers go on holiday

The four-horned antelope, a Schedule I animal under India’s wildlife protection laws, is classified alongside tigers and other critically protected species. A report by the investigation committee, formed by the Forest Department following the deaths of 17 four-horned antelopes at Chhattisgarh’s Jungle Safari in November last year, has revealed serious negligence by Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rakesh Kumar Verma.

Despite being informed about the illness of several four-horned antelopes on 24 November 2023, Dr. Verma failed to visit the Jungle Safari that day, only arriving at 10:30 a.m. the following morning. According to the investigation team, timely treatment could have saved the animals, but Dr. Verma’s delay was a critical factor in their deaths.

Further, the report found that Dr. Verma failed to inform Jungle Safari management about the escalating deaths, allowing the situation to worsen over the next several days.

The investigation also noted that Dr. Verma went on unauthorized leave from 26 to 30 November, despite the ongoing crisis and the absence of the junior veterinary officer, Dr. Sonam Mishra.

The committee concluded that Dr. Verma’s misconduct and negligence contributed significantly to the deaths of the four-horned antelopes.

Had he acted promptly and responsibly, many of these Schedule-I animals could have been saved.

Dr. Verma accused of fabricating post-mortem report

According to the investigation team’s report, before going on leave, Dr. Rakesh Verma conducted postmortems on only two of the five deceased four-horned antelopes and subsequently fabricated a postmortem report for all five animals.

The committee questioned the rationale behind preparing a false report if the animals were to be cremated without proper examination.

Despite these serious allegations, the state’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Sudhir Agarwal, issued a letter recommending only a ‘warning’ for Dr. Verma and approved his leave. Legal experts argue that issuing a mere warning instead of suspending Dr. Verma indicates that Sudhir Agarwal attempted to shield him from any significant disciplinary action.

Fraudulent merger in the forest department involving Dr. Verma

Dr. Rakesh Verma has also been accused of involvement in an alleged scam amounting to ₹8.44 crore.

Priyanka Shukla of the Aam Aadmi Party had filed a written complaint regarding this matter with senior Forest Department officials last year.

The investigation confirmed the validity of the allegations, yet no action was taken against Dr. Verma.

The complaint detailed that Dr. Rakesh Verma, along with his father L.K. Verma, who served as Assistant Project Officer in the District Panchayat, Kanker from 30 August 2006 to 23 July 2007, engaged in fraudulent misappropriation of ₹8 crore, 44 lakh, 60 thousand, 719 under the National Employment Guarantee Scheme.

In 2010, a case was registered against Dr. Verma (Crime No. 58/2010) by the State Economic Offences Investigation Bureau, Raipur, under sections 409, 420, and 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code, along with sections 13 (1) C, 13 (1) D, and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Although he was suspended in this case, Dr. Verma was not arrested.

Amidst this, Dr. Rakesh Verma transitioned to the Forest Department on deputation from the Veterinary Department. In 2018, his position was officially merged into the Forest Department, despite his name being excluded from the merger proposal submitted by the department to the state government.

This merger was allegedly orchestrated through administrative manipulation, enabling his illegal absorption into the department.

Throughout this time, Dr. Verma concealed the criminal case pending against him and never disclosed the matter to the Forest Department, further complicating the situation.

The High Court grants conditional bail to Dr. Verma

In 2022, amid rumors of Dr. Rakesh Kumar Verma’s imminent arrest for his alleged involvement in a ₹8.44 crore scam, he submitted a bail petition to the local court in Kanker.

However, due to the serious nature of the charges, the court denied his request.

Subsequently, Dr. Verma filed a bail petition in the Chhattisgarh High Court, which was conditionally granted.

During the court proceedings, he appeared in both Kanker and the High Court, yet failed to inform the Forest Department or obtain any necessary approvals, constituting a violation of protocol.

After a thorough investigation, a report was submitted to senior officials, but no action has been taken regarding the matter.

This inaction raises concerns about the state forest department’s apparent support for Dr. Verma, suggesting a troubling disregard for the ongoing animal deaths at the Jungle Safari.