NAGPUR: Umred judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) V L Bhosale on Monday remanded tiger poaching case accused Saranki Guarantee Pardhi to three days forest custody remand (FCR) till October 17.
Notorious tiger poacher Ajit Rajgond, who is under magisterial custody till Tuesday, during interrogation had said that Saranki (26), a resident of Baruhali in Katni district of MP, was one of the five gang members who had helped him to kill a tiger in Umred-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary in May second week.
As the crime was committed in Umred, Saranki was produced before the court there by the investigating officer RD Kharabe. Saranki was arrested on October 10 by Umariya police, 450km from here, in MP.
In an another development, two tiger skin traders from Delhi Suraj Pal alias Chacha and Naresh Lala, accomplice of arrested trader Sarju Bagdi, escaped the clutches of the forest department officials after Tihar Jail staff refused to hand them over. Both were arrested in Delhi last month.
According to sources, forest officials, who are investigating the tiger poaching case, had been notified that both the accused were to be produced in the court of RB Raja on October 14. However, inadvertently the date on the production warrant of Pal and Lala was mentioned as October 12, by the court clerks. Accordingly, Tihar Jail staff brought both the accused to the city on Saturday morning.
The accused were taken to the court but, since it was closed they were produced before the vacation judge, who ordered the jail staff to bring the accused again on October 24.
The laxity of the forest officials, who were in the dark about the arrival of the accused from Delhi, has been exposed. They did not deem it important to cross-check with the concerned officials about the date on which the accused were to be brought here.
However, belatedly, the forest officials swung into action and arrived at the railway station to take custody of the two. But, Tihar officials refused to hand over the accused. They even refused to show the court order.
As forest department's side was not heard when the accused were produced before the court, the officials sought another hearing. After lengthy deliberations, the Delhi team produced the accused before the court on Sunday.
However, since the judge who had passed the initial order was not available, the court refused to entertain forest department's request regarding the custody of the accused.
Both the accused were taken back to Delhi on Sunday. They will now be brought here on October 24.
