Rayagada: Two wildlife criminals have been sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment by the court of Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Rayagada for smuggling leopard skins.
The smugglers have been identified as BikramMajhi and Raja Majhi of Suresi village.
The Court sentenced both the accused persons to undergo three years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000 for the commission of offence u/s. 51(1A) of The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and in default of payment Rigorous Imprisonment for 6 months more.
Further, the court convicts accused persons with rigorous imprisonment for 3 years with fine U/s. 411 of I.P.C under
the said offence and sentenced the accused persons to undergo R.I. for 6 months U/S- 120-B of I.P.C. All the sentences imposed will run concurrently.
In this case, on 07.11.2023 at 6.00 PM STF, Bhubaneswar apprehended the above-noted accused persons on Rayagada-Bisamkatak road near Tamparbiduni Chhak under Chandili PS Jurisdiction Dist. Rayagada recovered two leopard skins from their possession while the accused persons were waiting there to deliver the same to a customer.
After a successful investigation, a charge sheet was submitted against both the accused persons U/S 379/411/120 (B)IPCr.w. Sec. 51 the Wild Life (Protection) Act,1972.
During the investigation, the seized Leopard skins were sent to the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun for biological chemical examination and the opinion was received affirmatively. The trial was conducted against above above-noted accused persons where during the trial prosecution examined 09 witnesses and exhibited 15 documents.
This is the Eighth case of STF where the accused persons were convicted under the Wildlife Protection Act. To date, trials have been completed in 08 Wildlife cases and all the cases ended in Conviction. This is worth mentioning that the conviction rate of wildlife crime cases in India is less than five per cent.
