Uttarakhand Eco Tourism Scam: Officer Who Exposed Corruption Transferred

Uttarakhand Eco Tourism Scam: IFS Officer Who Reported Scam Shifted, Questions Mount on State Govt

On 24 August 2025, The Probe published an investigation revealing how the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led Uttarakhand government was allegedly shielding powerful officials embroiled in the eco-tourism scam. At the heart of the expose was a damning report filed by IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi, who on 24 December 2024 accused senior forest officials of corruption, money laundering and brazen siphoning of public funds. But instead of cracking down on the accused, the Dhami government has chosen to punish the whistleblower — by abruptly transferring Chaturvedi out of his post.

Just a day after The Probe’s story was published, on August 25, 2025, the Dhami government swiftly moved against the messenger. Chaturvedi, who was serving as Chief Conservator of Forests (Working Plan), has now been shunted to the Uttarakhand Forestry Training Academy (FTA) in Haldwani. The transfer lays bare Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s much-touted “anti-corruption drive” as nothing more than political theatre. Instead of taking action against the perpetrators of the eco-tourism scam, the government has chosen to punish and silence the whistleblower who brought to light corruption within the state’s forest department. 

Sanjiv Chaturvedi is widely regarded as one of the nation’s brightest and most fearless minds, known for exposing corruption wherever he has served. Throughout his career, Chaturvedi has consistently taken on entrenched interests — and paid the price. In Haryana alone, he was transferred 12 times in just five years after he uncovered a series of scams within the state government. His integrity earned him the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for courageous public service. In Uttarakhand, he has spent the last nine years sidelined in non-field postings, yet even from these marginal positions he has been able to unearth corruption within the bureaucracy. In his latest transfer, Chaturvedi has been relegated to a non-operational role as Director of the Forestry Training Academy in Haldwani — a posting that sidelines him from core forest governance and enforcement, effectively tying his hands.

The Probe Had Prior Knowledge of Move to Shunt Out Whistleblower

August 21, 2025 — Conversation between The Probe’s Editor-in-Chief Prema Sridevi and Uttarakhand Principal Secretary R.K. Sudhanshu

In a tense exchange on August 21, 2025, The Probe confronted the state Principal Secretary R.K. Sudhanshu over the government’s inaction on the Uttarakhand eco-tourism scam. Despite the report submitted in January 2025 recommending an FIR against senior forest officer Vinay Bhargav, Sudhanshu admitted that the only step taken so far was the issuance of a showcause notice. When pressed on why no FIR or investigation had been initiated, the Principal Secretary appeared evasive, countering: “Suppose somebody writes a letter to the government mentioning that an FIR should be registered, tell me whether an FIR should be registered immediately?”

The conversation took a sharper turn when The Probe pointed out that IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi had escalated the matter to the Centre after months of inaction by the state. Instead of addressing the serious charges against Bhargav, Sudhanshu questioned Chaturvedi’s authority to approach the Union government directly, asking dismissively: “Can he send a letter to the government of India directly? Is he authorised to send a letter directly to the government of India?”

When confronted with source-based reports that Chaturvedi was about to be shunted out, Sudhanshu sought to distance himself, claiming ignorance. On August 21, (4 days before Chaturvedi’s transfer), The Probe had specifically asked the Principal Secretary about information received that Sanjiv Chaturvedi was likely to be transferred. Sudhanshu brushed it aside, responding: “Who told you so? If it has happened, Principal Secretary Forest is not the competent authority. Even I am not aware of this fact.” Yet, barely four days later, the state government did exactly what was anticipated — abruptly shunting out the officer who exposed the scam.

Uttarakhand Eco Tourism Scam: Dhami’s Hollow Talk on Fighting Corruption

In March 2025, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami declared before the media that his government’s crackdown on corruption, encroachment, and illegal occupation would continue “with full force.” Two months later, in May, Dhami went further, promising a “corruption-free Uttarakhand” and promising that strict action would be taken against any officer or employee exploiting the public. By July, the Chief Minister was once again touting his “zero-tolerance policy” against corruption and exam malpractice, claiming it was reshaping Uttarakhand’s administrative culture and restoring faith among the youth.

Yet the reality on the ground tells a very different story. While Dhami has projected himself as a crusader against corruption, the Uttarakhand eco-tourism scam and its fallout expose the hollowness of these claims. Instead of acting against those accused of siphoning funds and violating forest laws, the state government has chosen to punish the very officer who brought the scam to light. 

The Chief Minister will now be expected to come forward and address the uncomfortable questions his government has been sidestepping. Why was an officer with an established record of integrity abruptly removed from his role as Chief Conservator of Forests (Working Plan) immediately after exposing corruption? And does the move suggest that the government feared more skeletons would tumble out of its closet if Chaturvedi had continued in his post?

All About the Uttarakhand Eco-Tourism Scam

At the heart of the scam lies the fragile landscape of Munsiyari in Pithoragarh district — one of the most landslide-prone areas in the Himalayan region. Despite repeated warnings from scientists and ecologists against large-scale construction in the area, permanent concrete structures were sanctioned inside the Khaliya Reserve Forest. These included ten VIP eco-huts, dormitory, sales centre and a growth centre. Experts say such activity not only violated environmental laws but also placed local communities at grave risk by destabilising already fragile mountain slopes.

The scandal came to light when IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi submitted a detailed report in December 2024, flagging violations of the Forest Conservation Act, the Prevention of Corruption Act, and money laundering provisions. His findings accused senior officer Dr. Vinay Kumar Bhargav of overseeing illegal construction and financial misappropriation worth over ₹1.6 crore during his tenure as Divisional Forest Officer in 2019. Chaturvedi also highlighted how contracts were handed to a private firm without tendering, raising suspicions of inflated billing and siphoning of public funds.

Further irregularities included the diversion of 70% of eco-hut revenues to a newly created society — the Munsiyari Eco Vikas Samiti — even before the society was legally registered, effectively moving funds beyond government audit. Another glaring instance of alleged fraud involved approvals for the upkeep of 90 kilometres of fire lines in Pithoragarh Forest Division, when official records showed that only 14.6 kilometres existed. Chaturvedi described these as “complete fake records,” amounting to criminal conspiracy and embezzlement of government money.

Despite the seriousness of the charges, the state government’s response has been limited to issuing a show-cause notice to Bhargav, even as more than eight months have passed since the allegations surfaced. After Chaturvedi escalated the matter to the Centre, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) intervened, directing the state to file a formal report and hold those responsible accountable. Yet, with no FIR registered and no visible punitive action, the episode continues to raise troubling questions about governance, accountability, and political will in one of India’s most ecologically fragile states.