Dalbir is the fifth tiger skin trader to be arrested after Sarju Bagdi, Suraj Pal alias Chacha, Naresh Lala and Vakil. Of this Vakil, who was arrested by Uttarakhand forest officials, is not in the list of wanted criminals released by Maharashtra forest department and hence, officials did not procure his custody. Other traders are under magisterial custody. Dalbir is the 26th poacher nabbed in the last six months.

"We nabbed Dalbir acting on a tip-off from a leading NGO in wildlife law enforcement based in Delhi. He will be handed over to forest officials from Maharashtra, where the accused is wanted in trafficking of tiger skins," a top WCCB official told TOI.

Earlier, on September 7, WCCB had arrested tiger skin traders Sarju Bagdi, Naresh Lala and Suraj Pal alias Chacha from Delhi. It was Sarju, presently lodged in Central Jail here, who had told TOI that he along with other tiger skin traders like Dalbir and Kalla procured over 20 tiger skins from the region during the last 8 months. Offences in trafficking of nine skins have already been registered by the forest department separately.

Dalbir's name also figures in confession statement of Sarju. He is learnt to have procured one tiger skin from Bhandarbodi near Ramtek and another from Ranala near Kamptee. Forest officials have already registered offences in both the cases.

Insiders say that a tiff had ensued among the forest officials as to who would proceed to take custody of Dalbir. Finally, good sense prevailed and a team from Nagpur division left for Delhi to bring Dalbir here on transit custody.