The accused, who was handed over at Seoni to the state forest officials on Wednesday night, was produced before judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) RB Raja at 4.30pm on Thursday. The court remanded him to forest custody till November 25. Kartik Shukul, special counsel for the forest department, submitted there was confusion over identity of Keru while asserting that the poachers are known to use more than one name. Keru is wanted in poaching of tiger in Ghatang (Melghat) and Bamni near Nagbhid in Chandrapur district.

On Thursday, a section of media in MP reported that arrested person was Makhan, cousin of Keru, who stays near his house in Biruhali. Citing examples, Shukul stated a poacher Nupustan arrested earlier was also called Lupustan. His name had also come up as Betalal. Similar was the case with Yarlen, Barsul who are known as Luzalen and Kashish. Surival is another one who is also Srival. Shukul sought FCR of Keru so his identity could be established from arrested poachers now lodged in Nagpur and Amravati jails.

The forest department also plans to procure documents from the CBI, which is prosecuting Keru and other poachers for their involvement in seizure of tiger skins and bones worth Rs50 lakh at Nagpur station in 2009. Sources said CBI had fingerprints of Keru that need to be matched with accused. When the court asked the accused if he had any proof to show he was not Keru but Makhanlal, the accused said he had ration card and property papers. "I was picked up in sleep and hence did not get an opportunity to show them," he said.

The identity question still panicked forest officials. The officials relied on MP officials, who claimed that they had identified Keru with the help of forensic experts on the basis of a picture of Keru made available by Maharashtra officials. "Had the state forest officials identified the picture of accused arrested from Biruhali on Wednesday itself from poachers lodged in jail, the identity crisis would not have arisen," forest officials told TOI.