Himachal Congress MLA’s wife under scrutiny as probe confirms large-scale felling, timber smuggling by her firm in Dharampur

MANDI: Kavita Shekhar, the wife of Congress MLA Chander Shekhar who represents Dharampur in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, is facing growing legal troubles in connection with a large-scale illegal logging case.

A recent investigation by the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department has confirmed alleged massive felling, with thousands of quintals of timber illegally dumped at a site leased by Bahri Renewable Energy Company, where Kavita Shekhar serves as a director.

The investigation report, submitted to senior forest officials, has revealed that no official permission was granted to transport or store timber at the company’s dumping sites. Kavita Shekhar has failed to respond to three official notices from the Forest Department regarding the matter.

Despite widespread public outrage, discussions in the Assembly and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s assurance of a high-level probe, the report fails to pinpoint those responsible for the illegal deforestation.

While the investigation committee has submitted its findings, it has not recommended any FIRs, effectively passing the responsibility for further action to senior forest officials.

Over 5,000 quintals of timber found at MLA’s village

The Forest Department’s probe into the illegal timber stockpiled in Bahri village, the MLA’s hometown, has revealed massive felling. The authorities discovered a total of 5,235 quintals of timber, of which 507 quintals belonged to restricted tree species.

The confiscated timber includes protected species such as Banyan, Tun, Kachnar, Badare, Umre, Mango, Jamun, Kaith, Blodhar, Khasre, Japanese Mulberry and Gavan. Over 1,300 quintals of Siris and Simbal were also found.

These revelations surfaced following an RTI inquiry filed by former district councillor Bhupendra Singh.
According to the report, the entire stockpile was dumped on land leased by Bahri Renewable Energy Company, which is owned by Kavita Shekhar.

Investigators found that Hukum Chand of Dharampur and Babu Ram of Khelag-Longni were responsible for illegally transporting the timber without permission. Both have reportedly admitted to their involvement.

Interestingly, the company had applied for a temporary firewood depot licence on November 27, 2024, but it has not yet received approval. Despite this, a massive timber dump was found at the location.

Complaint and investigation timeline

The investigation was initiated following a complaint lodged by Surendra Kumar, head of Saklana Gram panchayat, on December 22, 2024.

The issue soon gained media attention and was subsequently taken up by both the Assembly and the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

Following the uproar, the Forest Department launched an official probe on December 24, 2024. The seven-member investigation committee was led by Jogindernagar ACF Ashwani Kumar.

On March 10, 2025, the committee submitted a five-page report covering 15 key points. During the investigation, a local resident, Rahul (son of Jagdish Chand), testified that the timber stock belonged to Bahri Renewable Energy Company.

Key findings in investigation report
• 20 individuals were granted permits to cut trees on private land, allowing them to transport 4,708 quintals of timber. However, only 3,393 quintals were officially recorded as transported, while 1,314 quintals remain on-site.
• No one was authorised to transport timber to Bahri Renewable Energy Company’s premises, yet a massive stockpile was found there.
• The Forest Department has filed damage reports against 53 individuals who illegally cut restricted tree species without permission.
• The Dharampur Forest Range Officer admitted that 1,842 quintals of excess timber were found at the site, exceeding the permitted amount. This surplus timber has been confiscated.

Allegations of cover-up and political influence

Amid growing suspicions of collusion between forest officials and influential figures, former district councillor Bhupendra Singh has demanded accountability from the government. He has sought clarity on disciplinary action against officials who failed to prevent the illegal deforestation.

However, the Jogindernagar DFO has evaded responsibility, stating that higher authorities would decide on any action. Bhupendra Singh has also alleged that a significant amount of timber was secretly removed overnight, likely to destroy evidence, further raising questions about the scale of the illegal operations.

Munish Sood