By Firstdespatch Desk Apr 25, 2026
Agartala, Apr 25 (FD) The Tripura Forest Department has removed Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Gaurav Ravindra Wagh from his post
as Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), South Tripura, after one of his relatives was arrested with nearly ₹60 lakh in cash at Agartala Railway Station.
The arrested individual, identified as Rajendra Chintaman Kankachila, was produced before a court on Friday and remanded to police custody till April 29 for further investigation.
According to an official order issued by R.K. Samal, Wagh has been directed to report to the office of the Principal Chief Conservator of
Forests and Head of Forest Force, Government of Tripura, until further orders. The charge of DFO, South Tripura, has been assigned to Kamal Bhowmik, Sub-Divisional Forest Officer (SDFO), Sabroom, as an additional responsibility. Wagh was instructed to join the Forest
Headquarters with immediate effect by April 25.
As per intelligence inputs, the Special Branch and Government Railway Police detained Kankachila during a checking operation at Agartala
Railway Station on Thursday morning. Investigators suspect he was preparing to travel to Kolkata by train when the cash was recovered.
Sources said a black Scorpio vehicle bearing the nameplate of the South Tripura DFO arrived at the station around 7:10 am. During security checks, one bag was inspected while another was initially not opened, raising suspicion among officials. The individual was subsequently detained, and the cash was seized.
During interrogation, the arrested person reportedly claimed that the DFO was a distant relative. Authorities said the claim is under verification as part of the ongoing probe.
Officials confirmed that a case has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and investigators are examining possible links between the accused, the forest officer, and the source of the seized money.
“We have produced him before the court, which has granted police remand till April 29. The investigation is underway,” an official source said.
The incident has drawn widespread attention in the state, with authorities closely monitoring the probe into the cash seizure and any potential official connections. FD JK