Mysuru: The Nagarahole Tiger Reserve authorities are planning to seriously pursue the case booked under the provisions of Wild Life Protection Act against Kannada actor Dhanveer Gowda.
Gowda was first accused of entering the restricted forest area at Bandipur Tiger Reserve in the late hours following a social media post. However, but he wasn’t found guilty for the incident. Days later, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve foresters slapped a case on the actor under WLP Act 1972 for riding on camp elephant.
According to forest officials, Gowda and his five associates had illegally entered Mathigodu Elephant Camp in Anechowkuru forest range and rode on camp elephant Mahendra. A video of the incident had gone viral on social media platforms.
The actor and his associates had visited the camp on September 25 and the incident is suspected to have happened the same day.
The foresters procured the video clip from social media and after tracing the address of Dhanveer, his friends Vishwas Aiyar, Darshan and three more persons, they were brought into books under WLP Act 1972.
They have been booked for illegally entering the elephant camp in Nalkeri reserve forest area. Notice was also served against the staff who was in-charge of the camp, said an official.
Sources told TOI that the actor and his friends had recently visited the Nagarahole forest office where their statements were recorded. During the inquiry, foresters also collected the photographs and videos which they had taken during the elephant ride.
Nagarahole Tiger Reserve director D Mahesh Kumar told TOI that the inquiry is still underway. “The accused were summoned, and their statements were recorded. We are investigating the case and cannot reveal the details of the inquiry,” he said.