Kerala Muttil tree-felling case: Chottanikkara court issues non-bailable warrants to Augustine brothers in cheating case

The Muttil tree-felling cases involves the large-scale illegal felling and smuggling of protected rosewood and teak trees estimated at ₹8 crore from assigned lands in Muttil South, Wayanad. (Photo for representation) The Chottanikkara Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Ernakulam on Monday (August 10, 2026) issued non-bailable warrants to the Augustine brothers in a cheating case linked to the controversial Muttil tree-felling scandal.All three accused—Roji Augustine, Jose Kutty Augustine, and Anto Augustine—have been directed to appear before the court on August 18, 2026. The order follows their failure to comply with the court’s directive of August 6 to be present on Monday for the framing of charges.The case was registered by the Ambalamedu police on a petition filed by M.M. Aliyar, proprietor of Malabar Timber Industries, Karimugal, alleging fraud in the sale of timber from illegally felled trees in 2021.In July, the Kerala High Court refused to interfere with the Chottanikkara court’s order, dismissing the discharge petitions of Jose Kutty Augustine and Anto Augustine. They are accused of cheating Mr. Aliyar of ₹1.4 crore.According to the FIR registered on July 13, 2021, the brothers allegedly collected the amount as advance in instalments from January 2021 and, on February 2, 2021, sold him 54 pieces of timber from illegally felled trees without permit under the Kerala Promotion of Tree Growth in Non-Forestland Rules. The trees were allegedly cut and transported from the Meppadi Forest Range in Wayanad.Despite repeated requests, the accused allegedly refused to return the advance or produce valid permits. Mr. Aliyar then alerted the Forest department, which confirmed the illegal sale and confiscated the timber on February 8, 2021. The police initially booked the case under IPC Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating). Later, the Kerala High Court quashed the charge under Section 406 but upheld the cheating offence.In their discharge petition, the accused argued that no permit was required for transporting the timber sold and that the charges were unsustainable. Mr. Aliyar countered that he was misled into believing that the timber sale was lawful. The court rejected the accused’s contention, noting that the Forest department’s investigation established they had no authority to transport or sell the timber.Jose Kutty and Anto Augustine, along with their brother Roji Augustine, are also key accused in the large-scale illegal felling and smuggling of protected rosewood and teak trees estimated at ₹8 crore from assigned lands in Muttil South, Wayanad, carried out without the Revenue department’s sanction. Published - August 11, 2026 07:21 pm IST