Valsad: The Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Valsad division, has suspended Valsad Range Forest Officer (RFO) J.D. Rathod and woman forester Hetal Patel for alleged negligence that reportedly enabled the smuggling of hundreds of Khair tree logs worth several crores. The consignment was seized by Maharashtra forest officials earlier this month.

It has emerged that a local resident had installed a “spy camera” in the woman forester’s office, and videos purportedly showing her accepting bribes later surfaced on social media.

According to Valsad forest officials, Maharashtra authorities intercepted a container carrying hundreds of Khair logs on National Highway 53 in Palghar in the first week of November. After scrutinising the documents, officers detained the truck driver and cleaner. During questioning, the driver revealed that the consignment was loaded by one Arjun Patel at Godthal village in Chikhli taluka, Navsari district. Suspecting collusion by local forest staff, Maharashtra officials alerted Valsad Deputy Conservator of Forests, Lokesh Bhardwaj, who ordered an inquiry.

A subsequent probe and raid on Arjun Patel’s residence led to the recovery of around 332 tonnes of Khair bark worth over ₹3 crore. Patel was booked under multiple sections of the Forest Conservation Act on November 7 and interrogated.

Following the emergence of the spy-cam footage, the involvement of the woman forester and the RFO in the illegal trade came to light. On Thursday, CCF Valsad suspended Hetal Patel pending the completion of the investigation. On Friday, Deputy Secretary of the Forest and Environment Department, issued a suspension order against RFO Rathod.

An intensive investigation is now underway into the call records and mobile locations of both suspended officers. Officials say the high-level probe may expose more individuals, including forest personnel, involved in the inter-state smuggling racket.