Rajbiraj, January 26

District Forest Office, Saptari, today issued an arrest warrant against a ward chairperson here for illegally felling trees.

According to Assistant Forest Officer Manoj Kumar Karna, at Area Forest Office, Rupani, arrest warrant has been issued against Shambhunath Municipality Ward Number-1 Chair Indradev Sah.

“We’ve issued arrest warrant acting on a complaint from non-gazetted officer Satya Narayan Chaudhary of the Road Division Office, Lahan, that Sah had illegally felled trees on the east-west highway,” Karna said.

The forest office has also seized 51 cubic feet timber from him. Meanwhile, Shambhunath Municipality Mayor Yogendra Chaudhary said Karna was framed in false case. “The trees, which had all dried up, were cut down in agreement with the municipality to distribute firewood to cold wave victims,” he said.