The MP was talking to newspersons at his residence.

Sahu pointed out that when a farmer fells a tree for his personal use action against him is prompt, while thousands of trees cut by the timber mafia is simply ignored. After felling of 135 teak trees at village Pathoria, a case has been registered. He said 150 trees were felled at village Saloni. Sahu charged in spite of exposure of the teak-scandal the administration is adopting dilly-dallying tactics. Sahu said he would raise the issue in Parliament and apprise the Environment Minister about the case.

Sahu said in spite of disclosure of names of accused they have not been arrested. He said the seizure of asingle log of teak from a Raipur timber merchant, Ghanshyam Goyal, was merely a ``conspiracy to save the culprits.'' Sahu said if the state government is serious enough it should constitute a committee to investigate the felling. Sahu said if the main accused are protected the Bharatiya Janata Party will start an agitation.

Meanwhile the anticipatory bail application of the famous Patharia teak felling case accused Ghanshyam Goyal was rejected by the fourth Additional Sessions Judge R K Pandey on June 26.

It may be recalled that in the 135 teak-tree felling case of village Patharia, Dhamdha police had registered case under section 420, 379, 34 and under section 52 of Forest Act against D Kumar Deshmukh alias Mataji, timber merchant Ghanshyam Goyal Radheyshayam Keval and one more person. Ghanshyam Goyal had applied for anticipatory bail under section 438. Dhamdha police presented the case diary.

Ghanshyam Goyal contended that he runs a factory which prepares windows and doors and has got ISI mark. Goyalsaid Mataji had decided to organise a `Yagna' due to which his followers gave him wood for construction of mandap. Goyal said he is a devotee of Mataji and therefore he has been falsely implicated.

The prosecution argued that the four accused got 135 teak trees felled without permission in lieu of 100 rupees advance per tree. And on villagers' complaint one teak log was recovered from Goyal's firm during a raid. The prosecution said that there is possibility of recovery of more teak wood and if the accused are granted bail they are likely to tamper with evidence.

The court, in its order, ruled that teak seizure is pending and to prevent possibility of tampering with evidence bail cannot be granted.