BHOPAL: As many as 43 people were sentenced in Madhya Pradesh's Katni forest division for poaching and smuggling of animal parts, official said on Friday.
Minister of State for Forests (independent charge) Rajendra Shukla said in an official statement that of these 43 people, 11 were sentenced to three-year imprisonment, 18 for two years and remaining 14 for one year.
Prominent among those who were sentenced were international poachers Shabbir Qureshi and Darya Singh, Shukla said.
Both were arrested along with Ashok Pardhi, a known poacher, in June 2004 and seven leopard skins were seized from their possession. All three have been sentenced to three years' imprisonment each. Property worth Rs.20 million was seized from Qureshi.
Darya Singh, who was arrested for smuggling tiger and leopard skins, had cases registered against him in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
