The notices, returnable by September 10, were issued by a three-judge bench comprising Justices B N Kirpal, V N Khare and M B Shah on an application by a local journalist alleging that the police, in connivance with forest officals, were attempting to manipulate investigation into the alleged encroachement of forest land by the Minister.

The application by Santosh Bharti was filed in a public interest litigation highlighting large-scale deforestation in Madhya Pradesh.

Earlier, the court perused a report by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which had been asked by the court to investigage into the alleged assualt on the journalist and others protestingagainst the destruction of Forest Department records on the night of August 15.

On August 2, the court asked Additional Inspector General of Police (Forests) N K Sharma to visit Damoh between August 23 and August 26 to investigate into the alleged encroachment of forest land by the Minister.

Before Sharma could reach Damoh and investigate into the encroachment of the forest land, some people entered the forest office and allegedly attempted to destroy the records.

The court today also directed the Damoh district forest officer A K Bhat to file an affidavit explaining how the office of the Forest Department was opened late at night on August 15, which was a National holiday, and records destroyed, and what action had been taken in this regard.

The State Government was also asked to file an affidavit on its stand on the issue and whether the Government was holding any inquiry into the incident.

The court said that proceedings in the case would not come in the way of the State Lok Ayukta to holding anyinquiry against the Minister for alleged encroachment of the forest land.