Foresters arrested wrong man instead of tiger poacher Keru

The Times of India , Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Correspondent : Vijay Pinjarkar
NAGPUR: It was not Keru Chiyalal Rajgond but Makhanlal Hariprasad Rajput. The arrest of tiger poacher Keru turned out to be a classic case of mistaken identity, thanks to the goof-up by both Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh forest officials.

Makhanlal was discharged by judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) RB Raja on Monday after forest department submitted an application in this regard. He was handed over to MP officials in Seoni on Monday night.

Makhanlal had been arrested from Biruhali, 15km from Katni, by a team of Jabalpur forest officials on November 20. Jabalpur chief conservator of forests (CCF) Rajesh Kumar had confirmed that arrested person was Keru, and handed him over to Maharashtra officials at Seoni.

The man was arrested in his sleep, on the basis of a file picture of 2009. Since MP officials were sure that the arrested person was Keru, Maharashtra forest officials did not bother to cross-check his identity with arrested poachers lodged in Nagpur Central Jail.

Retired police officer Ramesh Mehta says proper verification of arrested person is necessary. "Sometimes such errors happen in good faith. But I feel the picture of the arrested person should have been sent on e-mail to forest officials here for verification from other accused in jail. It could have saved the department this embarrassment," said Mehta.

Chief wildlife warden of MP Narendra Kumar admitted that his identity should have been checked by sending pictures to Nagpur. "But, let me tell you, the arrested person's features resemble Keru and hence he was handed over to Maharashtra officials for verification. We were not 100% sure," Kumar told TOI.

However, CCF Rajesh Kumar had earlier told TOI that Keru's identity was confirmed since his features like lips, nose, eyes and ears matched Keru's 2009 picture available with him. He even issued a release confirming that the arrested person was Keru.

SS Mishra, APCCF (wildlife), Nagpur, who is also chief of the steering committee on poaching cases, said the lapse occurred due to complexity of operations involved. "On-the-spot verification of arrested person could not be done as a mob of women had gathered at the spot and hurled stones at the forest staff," said Mishra.

On Monday, Makhanlal produced his ration card and Aadhaar card to prove his identity. Besides, during his forest custody till November 25, the forest department received feedback from several NGOs that Makhanlal was not Keru.

The forest officials also sent finger prints of Makhanlal to check against Keru's prints available with the CBI, but the report is yet to reach them. "We had no option but to seek Makhanlal's discharge," Mishra admitted.

However, the goof-up by forest officials of both states has led to the escape of real poachers Keru and Sheru, who were very much in Biruhali at the time of the raid. Keru and Sheru are on the list of over 80 tiger poachers wanted by the forest department. Till now only 24 poachers have been arrested since June this year.

Dalbir granted FCR till 28th

The JMFC of Kamptee on Monday granted forest custody remand (FCR) to tiger skin trader Dalbir till November 28. Dalbir was arrested on November 21 from Samalakha in Panipat district of Haryana. He is wanted in trafficking of tiger skins from Ranala (Kamptee) and Bhandarbodi (Ramtek) here. The court allowed application submitted by special counsel for forest department Kartik Shukul to seek FCR of Dalbir. Forest sources said Dalbir will be taken for spot verification on Tuesday.

In another development, the sessions court at Nagpur deferred the date of order in revision application challenging grant of MCR to poacher Saranki, who was wanted in connection with poaching of tigers in Umred-Karhandla and Mansar.

 
SOURCE : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Foresters-arrested-wrong-man-instead-of-tiger-poacher-Keru/articleshow/26377045.cms
 


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