The forest department in Uttarakhand forest department has filed a case against Swami Chidanand Saraswati, president and spiritual head of Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh. The forest department took case against him for alleged encroachment and construction in 2.5 acres of forest land within Dehradun forest division near Rajaji National Park. The case has been filed under section 26 of the Indian Forest Act 1927.
Earlier on July 6 and July 15, the Uttarakhand High Court has nstructed the government to took case against the Hindu seer. The court said this while hearing a PIL filed by Archana Shukla, alleging encroachment of forest land near Rajaji National Park by Swami Chidanand Saraswati.
Section 26 in the Indian Forest Act, 1927 deals with acts prohibited in forests including setting fire to a reserved forest, felling of trees, stone quarrying, clearing or breaking up any forest land for cultivation or any other purpose, erecting any building or construction and so on.
Vinay Kumar, who represents Swami Chidanand Saraswati, said the land had been donated by the villagers and part of it was bought from some people before 2005.
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