Sources told The Indian Express that 31 trees, including 16 neem, eight babhul, five ramphal and mango and kukum phal one each, owned by the Hupri gram panchayat, were sold by the panchayat authorities to Muhammad Mulla. Mulla cut them down and transported the wood without permission from forest authorities.

The deal came to light when vigilant residents of Hupri lodged a complaint with the forest officials. The forest officials seized the wood stock of 30 trees, excluding mango, from the residence of Mulla at Sangaon.

The tree-felling was a clear violation of laws, said sources. And mango being a scheduled tree under Maharashtra Tree-Felling Act, 1964, either Mulla or the Hupri gram panchayat should have obtained prior permission from forest authorities. Even for felling other trees, permission from revenue officials was necessary, sources added. ``However, neither revenue nor forest officials were informed. Besides, transporting of wood requires a transit pass, which Mulla failed to obtain,'' they said.

Stating that the trees felled by Mulla were valued at Rs. 13,000, they said an offense against him has been registered.