1781. With a view to taking effective steps to protect the existing valuable forest produce and to prevent the smuggling of the same, C.I.D. Forest Cell was formed through Government Order No.HD 221 PEG 72, dated 15th December, 1972 (Appendix - XXXI). Depending on the local needs it was further augmented through Government Order No. HD 48 PEG 80, dated 2nd April 1980 (Appendix - XXXII) and Government Order No. HD 57 PEG 80 dated 7th October 1980 (Appendix - XXXIII) and Government Order No. HD 57 PEG 80, dated 27th March 1983 (Appendix - XXXIV). Subsequently the Unit was reorganised and it was brought under the charge of an Inspector General of Police who works under the supervision of Director General of Police, COD, Training, Special Units and Economic Offences (Appendix - XXXV).
ORGANISATION
1782. (a) The following is the strength of this Organisation:
1. Inspector General of Police, Forest, with Hqrs. at Bangalore 1
2. Deputy Inspector General of Police, CID, Forest with headquarters 1
at Bangalore.
3. Superintendent of Police, CID, Forest Cell, Madikeri 1
4. The Forest Cell, CID, Bangalore consists of:
a) Deputy Superintendent of Police 1
b) Police Inspector 2
c) Police Sub Inspector 4
d) Head Constable 8
e) Police Constable (Civil) 12
f) Armed Police Constable (Driver) 3
(b) The Cell functions under the direct supervision of Inspector General of Police, Forest, Bangalore.
1783 (I) Special forest squads or forest mobile squads are established in the following districts:
a) Mysore - 3 Squads
b) Kodagu - 3 Squads
c) Dakshina Kannada - 2 Squads
d) Shimoga - 1 Squad
e) Uttara Kannada - 1 Squad
f) Belgaum - 1 Squad
g) Hassan - 1 Squad
h) Dharwad - 1 Squad,
Each Squad is headed by a Sub-Inspector of Police.
(ii) The Squads are stationed at the places noted against them and shall pay special attention to the areas specified against them:
DISTRICT STATIONED AT AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
1.Mysore Kollegal F. M. S. State border with Tamil Nadu
2.Mysore Chamarajanagar F.M.S. State border with Kerala and T.N.
3.Kodagu Virajpet F.M.S. State border with Kerala
4.Kodagu Madikeri ,F.M.S. . State border with Kerala
5.D.K.Dist. Mangalore,F.M.S. State border with Kerala
6.D.K.Dist. Puttur F.M.S. State border with Kerala
7.Hassan S.K.Pur S.F.S. National Highway viz., Shiradighat
8.Shimoga Channagiri S.F.S. Shikaripura,Soraba and channagiri at the
border of Dharwad and Chitradurga Dists.
9.Dharwad Hubli S.F.S. National Highway No.4 from Harihar to
Dharwad.
10.Belgaum Belgaum S.F.S. National Highway No.4 from Dharwad to
Belgaum and Nippani.
11.U.K.Dt. Dandeli S.F.S. Area covered by Mysore Power Corporation.
12.Madikeri Makutta F.M.S. State Border with Kerala.
13.Mysore Mysore F.M.S. State border with Kerala.
1784. (i) While the offices of the IGP, Forest Cell and Superintendent of Police, CID, Forest Cell are exercising administrative control over the Forest Mobile Squads, those in the districts are borne on the strength of the concerned district.
(ii) Superintendents of Police constitute the Squads from Officers drawn from within their own force. Care should be taken to include only such persons as are physically fit, energetic and capable of putting forth strenuous effort. The Officers, specially the Sub Inspectors of Police, should be young and having a clean record of service.
CHECK POSTS OF KARNATAKA-KERALA BORDER
1785. To assist the forest staff posted at the forest check posts at the Karnataka-Kerala border in Kodagu District in their duties of checking the smuggling of the forest produces the Government have sanctioned one Company of KSRP with requisite number of Officers and men. Apart from the KSRP reinforcement, one Civil Head Constable is also posted at each of the check posts to handle professional matters like drawing up of panchanamas, drafting complaints, etc. The staff deployed functions under the administrative control of the Superintendent of Police, CID-Forest Cell, Madikeri.
FUNCTIONS
1786. (I) The Forest Cell at Bangalore which works under the Inspector General of Police, (Forest) will supervise and co-ordinate the work of all the agencies connected with the prevention of smuggling of forest produce, specially sandalwood, rosewood, teakwood, other valuable timber species and poaching of elephants for tusks.
(2) It will take up investigation of cases referred to it by the Government, by the Director General and Inspector General of Police, Director General of Police, COD & Training, Inspector General of Police, Forest where inter-district and inter-state criminals are concerned or offence is committed by an organised gang.
(3) The Cell will also take up enquiry of petitions or complaints referred to it by the Government, by the Director General and Inspector General of Police, Director General of Police, COD, Training & Economic Offences and Inspector General of Police, Forest.
(4) It will compile the following information:
a) Alphabetical index of known and suspected smugglers of forest produce:
b) Index of all vehicles, cars and trucks known or suspected to be used for
smuggling.
c) Index of Modus operandi used by organised gangs.
d) Subject file of individuals and organised gangs.
e) Guard file (Est.)
f) Guard life (Confidential).
1787 For purpose of enquiry, investigation or enforcement of the provisions of the K.F. Act and Rules, all Superintendents of Police of Districts and Commissioners of Police, Bangalore City, Mysore and Hubli-Dharwad will provide necessary facilities like utilisation of the police lock-up, equipment, arms and ammunition etc., for the use of the officers of the Forest Cell..
1788 All reports and records of the cell will be confidential and officers and officials concerned will ensure that such information is kept secure and not made known to unauthorised persons.
1789. The Superintendent of Police, CID, Forest Cell, Madikeri will be the co-ordinating and guiding authority to the Squads located in the districts of Mysore, Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada which are attached to him, under the general control and supervision of the Inspector general of Police, (Forest) Bangalore. The Superintendent of Police of the district will ensure effective check and supervision over the other squads.
THE SQUADS
1790. (1) The main work of the squads will be to collect intelligence about forest offenders and offences and to take effective action against the offenders and prevent theft or smuggling of valuable forest produce.
(2) The Squad will maintain close liaison with the forest officers of the district, pay surprise visits to the forest check posts in their limits and scrutinise the entries in the check post Register. Irregularities and omissions if any noticed be reported to the concerned Conservator of Forests, or Deputy Conservator of Forests through the Superintendent of Police.
(3) The PSI of the Squads should attend the monthly crime meeting held by the Superintendents of Police in the District Police Office of the respective district.
(4) The PSI of the Squads should submit the weekly diaries to the Inspector General of Police, (Forest) Bangalore through the Superintendents of Police of the districts or Superintendents of Police, CID, Forest Cell, Madikeri. The diaries received will be scrutinised by the Inspector General of Police, Forest, Bangalore who will see that appropriate instructions are issued for the effective working of the Cell and Squads.
The Squads will maintain
i) District information book which will give full particulars of the forest areas, Sandalwood growing areas, rosewood areas etc., the names of current forest officers, range Forest Officers etc., the names of convicted offenders and receivers pertaining to forest offences, suspects and any general information pertaining to forest offences. This will be on the lines prescribed already in the Police Manual as Circle Information book maintained by the Circle Inspector of Police. In this case, it will be maintained by the Sub Inspector of Police for the entire District, but will specialise only about forest offences and it will include crime statistics about forest offences registered in all Police Stations in the district.
ii) Weekly diary file, i.e., office copies of weekly diary submitted by the Sub Inspector of Police to the Inspector General of Police, (Forest) through the Superintendent of Police.
iii) File regarding particulars of monthly T.A./D.A. etc.
iv) Confidential reports or records relating to persons suspected of indulging in or abetting forest offences.
v) The M.O.B. cards and History sheets should be maintained in the Police Stations by the concerned Sub Inspector of Police and made available to the Sub Inspector of Police incharge of the Forest Squad when required. The Sub Inspector of Police, Forest Squad should pass on such information, as he may have, to the Sub Inspector of Police incharge of Police Station, so that he may make necessary entries in the records of the Police Station including M.O.B. Cards and History Sheet.
1791 In all forest offences, where value of property exceeds Rs.25,000/- a Wireless or a T.P. Message should be sent to Inspector General of Police, (Forest), Director General and Inspector General of Police, Bangalore and Director General of Police, COD, Training & Economic Offences, Bangalore. If the value of property exceeds Rs.25,000/- Grave Crime Report and progress reports should be sent to the Inspector General of Police, Forest, Bangalore and Director General and Inspector General of Police, Bangalore, till the disposal of the case as prescribed in the Karnataka State Police Manual.
1792 Killing of an elephant for tusks irrespective of the value is treated as Heinous Offences and the same procedure should be followed in sending T.P.Message or Wireless Message and submission of progress reports.
USE OF VEHICLES
1793. (i) The use of the Squad and the Vehicle allotted to the Squad should be restricted to the duties mentioned in para 14 of the Standing Order No.621.
(ii) “Vehicles are sanctioned for the Cell and the squads with necessary complement of drivers. The proper maintenance of the vehicles of the Cell at Bangalore will be the responsibility of the MTO and the PI, CID, Forest Cell, Bangalore, whereas those of the squads located in Mysore, Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada districts will be the responsibility of the S.P. CID, Forest Cell, Madikeri, and those of other Squads, of the Superintendents of Police of the concerned district”.
GENERAL
1794 . (i) The Inspector General of Police, Forest Cell, will review the work done by the Forest Mobile Squads and the District Police every month, and send the review to the IGP, Forest who after reviewing the same will send it to the Secretary to Government, Forest Department, Bangalore, Director General and Inspector general of Police, Karnataka State, Bangalore, Director General of Police, COD & Training, Bangalore, and Inspector General of Police, COD, Bangalore.
(ii) The Sub Inspectors of Police incharge of the Forest Mobile Squads and the ASP/DSP of the Forest Cell Headquarters, will send statements of work done by their squads to the Inspector General of Police, Forest Cell, Bangalore, in the prescribed Proforma by 5th of the succeeding month for review and compilation.
(iii) Enquiry reports and other information as called for by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, CID, (Forest) should be sent by the Superintendents of Police.
(iv) A monthly statement of work done by the district Police in regard to prevention and detection of offences relating to forest produce will be sent by the Superintendents of Police of districts and Commissioners of Police, in the prescribed proforma by 10th of succeeding month to the Inspector General of Police, CID, Forest Cell for review and compilation.