Idukki: The Forest Department has withdrawn a case registered against a man in Idukki for cutting trees from his patta land, following the intervention of Forest Minister Shibu Baby John.

The case was registered by the Kattappana Section Office under the Kanchiyar Forest Station against Chirathalayatt Chackochan, a native of Pandippara. After the matter came to his attention, the minister examined the case and directed officials to withdraw it. He also instructed senior forest officials to return the seized timber and tools to the landowner.

The case was registered after Chackochan cut two jackfruit trees, a mango tree and a pathiri tree from his own property at Thankamani Pandippara. The Forest Department assessed the loss at ₹4,000 and seized timber valued at ₹15,607 and tools worth ₹2,200. The minister had sought a report from officials after the case drew attention.

Under the Special Rules of 1993, for land allotted under the special land assignment rules, the Forest Department has the legal authority to register a case for cutting only those 10 species of trees covered by the Kerala Preservation of Trees Act, 1986 and included in the patta schedule.

The 10 species are sandalwood, teak, rosewood (eetti), irul, thempavu, kambakam, chempakam, chadachi, sandalwood tree (chandanaveppu) and chini.

The minister's intervention comes amid widespread complaints that the Forest Department is preventing farmers from cutting trees they have planted and grown on their own land and registering cases against them.