Muttil tree-felling fraud case: Court puts off framing of charges against Augustine brothers

The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court at Chottanikkara has postponed the framing of charges against the Augustine brothers in a cheating case connected to the Muttil tree-felling scandal in Wayanad. The next hearing is scheduled for September 11.

The adjournment came after the accused — Roji Augustine, Jose Kutty Augustine, and Anto Augustine — sought a suspension of trial proceedings. They have approached the Kerala High Court with a request to stay the trial court's proceedings, which is slated for consideration on Tuesday.

The case stems from a complaint filed by M.M. Aliyar, proprietor of Malabar Timber Industries in Karimugal. He alleged fraud in the sale of timber sourced from illegally felled trees in 2021. The police registered the case under Indian Penal Code Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating). While the High Court later quashed the Section 406 charge, the cheating charge was upheld.

Prosecutors allege the accused defrauded Mr. Aliyar of ₹1.4 crore by promising to supply timber. The defence had earlier sought to defer proceedings until the Forest Department filed its final report in the original tree-felling case, but that plea was dismissed on August 24. The prosecution had argued that the present case is a distinct police-registered cheating matter, separate from the Forest Department's case.

The accused also challenged the court's jurisdiction, but that petition was rejected. The Sulthan Bathery Judicial First Class Magistrate Court continues to handle criminal proceedings related to the illegal felling of protected rosewood trees in Muttil South village.