Activist gets offer to sell ‘heirloom’ leopard skin
TNN | Updated: Jan 13, 2019, 12:23 IST
Forest official with seized leopard skinKOLKATA: Officers of the wildlife wing of the forest department on Saturday arrested two persons for illegal possession and trading of leopard skin when one of them sought help of a State Board for Wildlife member to sell the skin.
The arrest of Sourav Das, who was working as a conduit, led to the arrest of Tapabrata Majumdar, who turned out to be the “owner” of the skin, from his residence. Leopards are protected under the Wildlife Act.
Das, who works as a driver, contacted Joydip Kundu, a member of the State Board for Wildlife, and sought help to sell off the leopard skin in his possession. Kundu was taken aback by the call and immediately alerted Ravi Kant Sinha, the chief wildlife warden, who immediately sent his officials to Kundu’s residence.
“The accused was sent by a drivers’ centre to drive my car once or twice. On Saturday morning, he called me up and asked me to help him sell off a leopard skin. I was taken aback by the offer. I told Das to bring it to my residence where I will call the buyers. Officers of the forest department were waiting at my residence posing as customers,” said Kundu.
Das told Kundu that he would sell the leopard skin for Rs 2 lakh. The officers of the wildlife wing arrested Das as soon as he produced the leopard skin. When the officers interrogated him and asked how he procured the skin, he led them to Majumdar, a resident of Shyambazar.
The duo has been charged for illegal possession and trading of the skin of leopard, which is protected under the Schedule 1of the Wildlife Act. “If proven guilty, they can be imprisoned for up to seven years and penalized Rs 25,000,” said Somnath Chatterjee, ADFO, headquarters.
Majumdar told the officials that he had received the skin from a cousin a few years back. “It seems the skin of a leopard from north Bengal. It can be of an animal up to 10 years old,” said Chatterjee.
According to an official, people with any wildlife articles in their possession were given an opportunity to declare them to the government in 2002-2003. “If anybody possess a wildlife article as an heirloom, s/he needs to possess it in writing by the wildlife department. Else, it is considered illegal,” said the official.
The arrest of Sourav Das, who was working as a conduit, led to the arrest of Tapabrata Majumdar, who turned out to be the “owner” of the skin, from his residence. Leopards are protected under the Wildlife Act.
Das, who works as a driver, contacted Joydip Kundu, a member of the State Board for Wildlife, and sought help to sell off the leopard skin in his possession. Kundu was taken aback by the call and immediately alerted Ravi Kant Sinha, the chief wildlife warden, who immediately sent his officials to Kundu’s residence.
“The accused was sent by a drivers’ centre to drive my car once or twice. On Saturday morning, he called me up and asked me to help him sell off a leopard skin. I was taken aback by the offer. I told Das to bring it to my residence where I will call the buyers. Officers of the forest department were waiting at my residence posing as customers,” said Kundu.
Das told Kundu that he would sell the leopard skin for Rs 2 lakh. The officers of the wildlife wing arrested Das as soon as he produced the leopard skin. When the officers interrogated him and asked how he procured the skin, he led them to Majumdar, a resident of Shyambazar.
The duo has been charged for illegal possession and trading of the skin of leopard, which is protected under the Schedule 1of the Wildlife Act. “If proven guilty, they can be imprisoned for up to seven years and penalized Rs 25,000,” said Somnath Chatterjee, ADFO, headquarters.
Majumdar told the officials that he had received the skin from a cousin a few years back. “It seems the skin of a leopard from north Bengal. It can be of an animal up to 10 years old,” said Chatterjee.
According to an official, people with any wildlife articles in their possession were given an opportunity to declare them to the government in 2002-2003. “If anybody possess a wildlife article as an heirloom, s/he needs to possess it in writing by the wildlife department. Else, it is considered illegal,” said the official.
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