Tiger skin trader Chacha granted bail in Delhi

The Times of India , Friday, May 23, 2014
Correspondent : Vijay Pinjarkar

NAGPUR: Biggest international tiger skin and body parts trader Suraj Pal alias Chacha was on Thursday granted bail by a Tis Hazari court in Delhi.

Since his arrest on September 6, 2013, bail of Chacha (67), was rejected four times - twice in Nagpur and twice in Delhi. The allowing of his bail application seems to be the result of poor presentation of the case by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) in the Tis Hazari court.

The bail application of Chacha was rejected in Nagpur twice, in January and April after filing of the chargesheet following strong arguments by special counsel Kartik Shukul for forest department and YV Satpute for Chacha.

"Why can't the WCCB fight it out in Delhi, where a battery of good lawyers is available," ask wildlife experts. Surprisingly, Chacha has been granted bail despite recovery of 18 tiger nails and Rs50 lakh cash from his house in Delhi. They added granting bail to Chacha will have a fallout on different poaching cases against him at Nagpur.

Nishant Verma, deputy regional director of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) & investigating officer in the case, confirmed that Chacha has been granted bail. He said, "WCCB will challenge the decision. We will also seek a written communication from Nagpur forest officials where the bail of the accused has been rejected twice."

Sources said WCCB will seek help from Nagpur forest officials and its counsel about facts and basis on which Chacha's bail was rejected here. "Earlier, the WCCB had taken help of forest department and its counsel in the matter," a forest official said seeking anonymity. Chacha is claimed to be the biggest tiger skin trader after Sansar Chand, who died recently. He has been charged with procuring five tiger skins from Amdi Fata near Ramtek through Sarju Bagdi by giving him Rs20 lakh. Sarju is presently lodged in Central Jail at Nagpur.

Chacha procured five tiger skins from here and sold it for Rs35 lakh to Sonam, a Tibetan trader. Chacha, a hardened criminal, has a history of poaching since 1972 when the Wildlife Protection Act came into force. "Bail to him will adversely influence the investigation and also alert absconding traders, some of whom are outside India," said a section of forest officials.

 
SOURCE : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tiger-skin-trader-Chacha-granted-bail-in-Delhi/articleshow/35489600.cms
 


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