--- title: "Kerala HC dismisses Roji Augustine’s plea to stay Muttil case" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/kerala-hc-dismisses-stay-plea-1ypx5 publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: Politics published: 2026-08-20T11:00:36.457Z modified: 2026-08-20T12:30:05.581Z language: en-IN --- # Kerala HC dismisses Roji Augustine’s plea to stay Muttil case The Kerala High Court rejected Roji Augustine’s bid to pause the trial linked to the Muttil tree-felling case, directing him to proceed at the Ernakulam trial court. The case centers on alleged illegal felling and sale of protected timber from Muttil South, Wayanad. ## Key takeaways - The High Court denied Roji Augustine’s plea to stay the trial tied to the Muttil tree-felling case. - The accused and his brothers were directed to appear for framing of charges at a magistrate court in Ernakulam. - The FIR alleges a ₹1.4 crore fraud involving sale of timber from illegally felled trees sourced from Meppadi Forest Range. - Forest department records and subsequent confiscation underpin the prosecution’s case for illegality of the timber trade. ## What Happened The Kerala High Court has rejected Roji Augustine’s request to stay the trial in a cheating case connected to the Muttil tree-felling investigations. He and two brothers, Jose Kutty Augustine and Anto Augustine, were arraigned as accused and instructed to appear before the Chottanikkara Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Ernakulam for framing of charges. The accused earlier surrendered after a non-bailable warrant was issued against them, and they sought an extension to appear on the charges date. The prosecution alleges that Roji Augustine and his brothers cheated M. M. Aliyar, proprietor of Malabar Timber Industries in Karimugal, Ernakulam district, by selling him timber under false pretenses and collecting around ₹1.4 crore as advance for 54 pieces of timber from illegally felled trees. The FIR, registered on July 13, 2021, states the timber was cut and transported from the Meppadi Forest Range in Wayanad and that the illegal sale was confirmed by the Forest department, which later confiscated the timber on February 8, 2021. While the initial police complaint included sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC, the Kerala High Court later quashed the 406 charge but upheld the cheating offense. The court rejected the accused’s argument that no permit was required for transporting the timber, citing the Forest department’s investigation as evidence that the accused had no authority to transport or sell the timber. In July, the High Court had already dismissed the discharge petitions of Jose Kutty Augustine and Anto Augustine. The broader Muttil case involves alleged large-scale illegal felling and smuggling of protected rosewood and teak trees valued at about ₹8 crore from assigned lands in Muttil South, Wayanad, carried out without Forest department permission. ## Why It Matters The decision maintains the trajectory of the legal process in a case tied to environmental crime and alleged financial deception connected to timber dealings. By denying a stay, the court keeps the case moving toward potential charges framing and further judicial scrutiny, which could influence outcomes for all involved in the Muttil-related allegations. ## Background Muttil in Wayanad has been identified in public reporting as a site of alleged illegal felling and smuggling of protected timber, with an estimated value around ₹8 crore tied to lands in Muttil South. The incidents are described as taking place without Forest department permission, prompting investigations by forest authorities and subsequent filing of criminal complaints. The accused Roji Augustine and his brothers previously surrendered after warrants were issued, and their discharge petitions in related matters had been dismissed by the High Court earlier in the same month. ## Key Facts - The Muttil tree-felling case involves alleged illegal felling and smuggling of protected rosewood and teak worth about ₹8 crore from Muttil South, Wayanad. - Roji Augustine and brothers Jose Kutty Augustine and Anto Augustine are accused in a cheating case connected to the Muttil matter. - The trial court identified for framing of charges is the Chottanikkara Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Ernakulam. - The FIR was registered on July 13, 2021, alleging that ₹1.4 crore was obtained as advance for 54 timber pieces, sold from illegally felled trees. - The timber was reportedly cut and transported from the Meppadi Forest Range in Wayanad, and the Forest department confiscated the timber on February 8, 2021. - The Kerala High Court previously quashed the 406 (criminal breach of trust) charge but upheld the cheating charge; discharge petitions for two brothers were dismissed in July; the High Court dismissed Roji Augustine’s plea to stay the trial. ## What Happens Next The court has directed Roji Augustine to approach the trial court to proceed with the matter under the established schedule for framing of charges. The ongoing legal process will determine whether the cheating allegations proceed to trial and how the defendants respond to the charges in Ernakulam. --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/kerala-hc-dismisses-stay-plea-1ypx5 Reported from: Multiple Sources