NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s decision to appoint IFS (Indian Forest Service) officer Rahul as the director of Rajaji Tiger Reserve. Rahul was removed from Corbett Tiger Reserve over allegations of illegal tree-cutting.“We are not in a feudal era jahan jo bhi raja bole… (We are not in a feudal era where whatever the king says stays). At least there should have been some application of mind with reasons in writing, when he (Dhami) differed from his minister and chief secretary. Just because he is the Chief Minister, can he do anything? Either that officer should be exonerated or the departmental proceedings be dropped. There is something called public trust doctrine,” a three-judge bench, led by Justice BR Gavai, remarked, while hearing about illegal constructions and tree felling at the Jim Corbett National Park.Despite departmental proceedings pending against Rahul, the IFS officer was appointed as Rajaji National Park director, the court was told. Commenting on the decision of the Uttarakhand CM, the apex court observed that Dhami had gone against everyone’s advice and he did not consider objections. “He (the CM) has to give reasons why (Rahul was appointed)? He is ignoring everything. He has to explain why he disagrees with the bureaucrat and the forest minister?” the apex court asserted.From the deputy secretary, everyone pointed out that the departmental proceedings have been initiated against Rahul and an inquiry is underway, it added.
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