A major row is brewing in Andhra Pradesh over the alleged misuse of two luxury BMW cars which were seized from red sandalwood smugglers by the forest department. One of the two vehicles has been alleged to have been assigned to a senior forest official and another one being allegedly kept with the IAS officer’s wife in Hyderabad. After Deputy Chief Minister Pawan stepped in by wanting a probe into the incident, the administrative circles were rife with concern.
The two BMW cars, reportedly seized in 2017 during anti-smuggling operations, are now unaccounted for. As per initial reports, one of the vehicles was allocated to Anantha Ramulu, who was the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) at the time. However, after several officials, including Neerab Kumar Prasad, Adityanath Das, and GS RKR Vijay Kumar, assumed the role, there is no official record of the car’s current status.
Adding fuel to the fire, the second BMW, with registration number TN 05 BH 3303, is allegedly being used by the wife of a high-ranking IAS officer. This car was initially confiscated in the Railway Koduru region of Annamayya district in connection with a red sandalwood smuggling case. Before it could be formally transferred to government custody, it was reportedly assigned to the forest department’s Principal Secretary on December 11, 2017.
The controversy doesn’t stop there. A blue BMW, registered as TN 18 K 2277, was confiscated in 2015 from smugglers operating in the Puttur forest range. This car, too, was reportedly allotted to the additional private secretary of the then Forest Minister. Similar to the other cases, the current location of this car remains unknown. Additionally, a Toyota vehicle seized during the same period has also vanished from official records.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests has now written to the Forest Department’s Principal Secretary, demanding detailed information about the missing vehicles. The lack of accountability and transparency in handling these high-value confiscated assets has raised eyebrows.
With Deputy CM Pawan stepping into the fray, the matter has gained significant public and political attention. His demand for an investigation has sparked hopes of uncovering any misuse or negligence in handling these luxury vehicles.
The issue has stirred debate among citizens and raised questions about the government’s handling of assets seized during smuggling operations. The missing vehicles not only highlight gaps in administrative processes but also raise concerns about potential misuse of government resources.