Two more Katha units raided, records seized

JAMMU: Continuing a sequence of raids at Katha manufacturing units in district Kathua and Samba, the forest department today also conducted surprise inspection of two Katha units in Marh area in district Jammu and seized record for scrutiny.

Sources said that the vigilance team of forest department today conducted surprise inspection of two Katha units running in the name and style of M/S Bharat Priye Katha Product Sandhwan tehsil Marh and M/S Jai Laxmi Enterprises,Chatha Gujran, Marh for stock verifications.

According to sources, the surprise inspection was conducted on the basis of reliable information that the Katha units in violation of Supreme Court order, have dumped, excess stock of khairwood.

Reports said that after checking, the forest department’s vigilance team sleuths seized records for due scrutiny.

Highly placed sources said that forest officials during verification found some irregularities in stock of Khairwood loads. They maintained that there could rule out possibility of shifting of truckloads of the Khairwood stock to some secret place by the owners of units.

Officials further said that both Katha units were being allegedly managed by the owners in close association and for the very interest of brother of ex-forest minister Lal Singh.

“Meanwhile the verification and scrutiny of the seized documents was in progress at respective forest division,” revealed official sources.