The brother of Bharatiya Janata Party MP Pratap Simha has been arrested in connection with an alleged tree felling case, reported NDTV on Sunday.

Pratap Simha is the MP from Karnataka’s Mysore. His brother, Vikram Simha, was arrested by the Organised Crime Squad of the Central Crime Branch on Saturday and is currently in the custody of the forest department.

The action came after officials discovered that 126 trees worth crores had been illegally cut down at Nandagondanahalli in Belur taluk of Hassan district, reported The News Minute. “Available documentary evidence” reportedly hints at Vikram Simha’s involvement in the crime.

The forest department was told about the tree felling on December 15 by the Belur tehsildar. Officials went to Vikram Simha’s residence on December 25 for interrogation but did not find him there. A statement by the forest department said that he initially appeared before the investigating officer after a complaint was filed. However, he subsequently refused to appear before the officer.

He was eventually tracked down through electronic surveillance in Bangalore in a joint operation by the Organised Crime Squad and forest officials.

When asked about his brother’s arrest, Pratap Simha evaded the question and instead brought up the cheque bounce case involving Karnataka minister Madhu Bangarappa.

“Bangarappa is involved in a cheque bounce case worth Rs 6.5 crore,” said Pratak Simha. “That invites a jail term of six months by the court. But my brother is arrested.”

Pratap Simha recently made headlines after his name cropped up in the Parliament security breach case.

On December 13, two men had jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors’ gallery and opened gas-emitting canisters.

The police have arrested six persons – Manoranjan D, Sagar Sharma, Amol Dhanraj Shinde, Neelam Azad, Lalit Jha and Mahesh Kumawat – in connection with the case filed under the anti-terror provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

One of the intruders in the case had allegedly acquired an entry pass on Pratap Simha’s recommendation.

In November last year, the MP forced the government to remove two domes from a bus stop after claiming that the structures looked like a mosque.