Shimla, Dec 16 (IANS): The Himachal Pradesh High Court Tuesday turned down an interim anticipatory bail of Chandigarh-based businessman Amrik Singh Nagpal in the alleged illegal felling of 477 trees on the outskirts of Shimla.

Stating that in view of the gravity of the offence, an interim anticipatory bail could not be granted now, Justice P.S. Rana, however, directed the police to submit its report before Dec 24, the next date of the hearing.

Nagpal, the director of Pristine Hotels and Resorts Ltd., had entered into an agreement to purchase a piece of land belonging to Parminder Kaur in the Tara Devi temple area.

A case has already been registered against Parminder Kaur.

The state government Nov 26 transferred Indian Forest Service officer Sanjay Sood in connection with the illegal felling of 477 trees, including deodar and oak. Earlier, it had suspended three officials, including divisional forest officer Vinod Sharma.

The action came after the National Green Tribunal took suo motu cognigance of media reports about illegal felling of the trees and issued notice to the chief secretary and the principal secretary (forests) to file their reply before Jan 8, the next date of hearing.