The forest officials in Kadapa district’s Vempenta range have been accused of misappropriating seized red sandalwood worth Rs 50 crore.

Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials discovered that approximately 50 metric tonnes of red sandalwood logs, confiscated during the previous YSRCP government and stored in official warehouses four years ago, mysteriously disappeared. The investigation revealed alarming discrepancies in official records.

Following the ACB report, the present coalition government has issued notices against 15 forest department employees. Range Officer Praneetha Rao confirmed that a departmental inquiry is also underway as per government orders.

Kadapa district contains some of the world’s rarest red sandalwood forests. Smugglers typically transport this precious wood through Chennai and Bengaluru to China and Japan. Reports suggest some police and forest officials colluded with smugglers during the YSRCP regime, with a common practice being to confiscate one truck while allowing several others to pass through.

The government is reportedly preparing to suspend the accused officials and pursue criminal charges.