Illegal tiger safari: After case filed, actor Dhanveer submits photos as evidence

BENGALURU: A day after Kannada actor Dhanveer was in news for going on a night safari in Bandipur Tiger Reserve in violation of rules, the forest department has registered a case against him. He presented himself before the Range Forest Officer of Gopalaswamy Betta range and gave his statement. However the officials are not convinced and are doing a detailed investigation into the case.

Conservationists stated that the actor and the staffers who were inside the forest for safari beyond 6.30pm have violated National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines, which state that all safaris should end before 6pm and no one should be inside the forest after that. 

Dhanveer told RFO N P Naveen Kumar that he boarded the safari vehicle at 5 pm and had waited for long for a tiger sighting. They heard calls at 6.20 pm and sighted the tiger at 6.31 pm. He said they had reached the safari pick up point by 6.45 pm. The RFO said Dhanveer produced photographic evidence of his statements and he said that he was not on a night safari. 

A senior forest department official said photographs submitted by Dhanveer cannot be believed as proof as they can be tampered with. Entry point timings will have to be cross-checked. The version of the driver and that of the others will have to be matched. The others seated in the vehicle along with Dhanveer will also be questioned. After which a thorough investigation will be done and the report will be submitted to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), for action.