Duo get three years for trafficking in leopard skins

India: A Delhi court has sentenced two persons to three years of imprisonment for indulging in illicit trafficking of leopard skins from Karnal in Haryana to Sunder Nagar in Delhi.

"Parliament, in bringing a new legislation for protection of wild life, was inspired by the urge to preserve what little is left of wild life. The rapid decline of India's animal wealth, one of the richest in the world once upon a time, would have caused concern not only to the zoologists and ornithologists but to all others who know the consequences of deforestation," said the court.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ajay Garg highlighted that while many rare species have been wiped out; others are close to extinction. He opined that only serious deterrents could help curb this menace.

"Some rare species have already been wiped out of the earth and some others have reached the danger mark predicting total extinction, unless expeditious protective measures are adopted. Despite best efforts put in by the governments of almost all the countries across the globe, wildlife offences are not coming down. Such case needs to be dealt with strictly to curb the wild life offences," said the court.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on convicts Chand Ram and Anil Kumar after holding them guilty under section 49 of Wildlife (Protection) Act.

According to a complaint filed by the CBI, agency officials revealed that they had received a tip-off that the accused would supply the skins to unknown persons. Following this information, a team of CBI raided the Jukaso Inn in the Sunder Nagar area and apprehended the duo on December 12, 2003.

On searching, the sleuths recovered seven leopard skins, four from Chand Ram and three from Anil Kumar, from their bags. During interrogation, both the accused failed to give any proper authority/document or licence to prove bonafide possession for the wildlife skins.

An analysis of the skins was conducted at the wildlife forensic laboratory in Dehradun which revealed that while two skins out of the seven seized by the CBI are of leopards, others were fake.

The court ruled out the chances of false implication of the accused by the CBI and found the accused guilty for possessing the skins illegally. This was done after hearing the testimony of the witnesses and considering the fact that the skins are not easily available in the market.

(Source: DNA India)