Karnataka BJP MP Pratap Simha’s brother arrested allegedly for cutting of trees worth crores
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Pratap Simha's brother Vikram Simha was arrested by the authorities on Saturday in connection with a case registered against him for alleged chopping of nearly 126 trees without permission and smuggling wood in a village in the state's Hassan district.
FollowVikram Simha, brother of BJP MP Pratap Simha was arrested on Saturday in connection with cutting down of trees worth crores without permission. The BJP MP, earlier this month, was in the news for the Parliament security breach. Vikram Simha is being held by the forest department after being taken into custody by the Central Crime Branch's Organised Crime unit. He was accused of illegally cutting down 126 trees in a government land in Nandagondanahalli village in the Belur talak of Karnataka’s Hassan district.
According to an official assessment, there was "available documentary evidence" that suggested Vikram Simha had some role in the case, as per NDTV. Initially, Simha had been present to give statement before the investigating officer. But he had escaped before further questioning took place.
Eventually, the officials used electronic monitoring to trace him down to Bengaluru. He was arrested in a joint operation of the forest department and the Organised Crime team. Further action in the case will take place once the officials take him to Hassan.
According to India Today, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre confirmed Vikram Simha's arrest and said authorities held him for illegally cutting 126 trees and selling the wood in the Hassan district.
"They have taken down over 126 big trees, some of which were as old as fifty or sixty years. The act in question is illegal. He has broken both the Forest Conservation Act and the Tree Conservation Act, which are both in place," Eshwar Khandre was cited as saying.
Meanwhile, Simha refuted allegations. He said the allegations were "politically motivated".
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Vikram Simha’s arrest comes at a time when things are already difficult for his brother, BJP MP Pratap Simha. On December 13, one of the accused used a visitor's permit from Pratap Simha's office to enter the Lok Sabha. However, the Mysore MP, later clarified to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla that he had issued the pass to the accused’ father, a resident of his constituency who had asked for a pass to visit the Parliament.
