NAGPUR: Investigators probing the poaching case have learnt notorious poacher Rahul Gulabsingh Gondthakur (Kuttu) alias Kuttu Chhiyalal Pardhi killed five tigers and not three as previously believed. One of the two more tigers killed is suspected to have been poached in Gaikhori near Umarzari and another in Wadsa in Gadchiroli.
Earlier, Kuttu had claimed to have killed three tigers — one in Seoni near Ramtek and Paoni and Gaimukh in Bhandara divisions. However, wildlife experts say 35-year-old Kuttu's is the second generation of poachers that must have removed many more tigers from the region in the past 20 years.
Kuttu and his accomplices had laid four steel traps in compartment number 138 (Sawri Nullah) and 146 (Bhandara Road) on May 3, 2007. These areas, which were part of Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) then, are now under New Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary.
FDCM had seized the trap and registered an offence but did little to track the culprits and hence the offence was compounded. Now when the accused has been nabbed, it is not keen on investigating the matter as the area has been handed over to wildlife.
FDCM's Bhandara divisional manager (DM) DS Ingole said, "We are cooperating with CBI. The traps are with us and will be sent for forensic tests to Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad. There is no need for separate investigation when CBI is already probing the matter in detail."
Meanwhile, Wadsa forest officials including subdivisional forest officer (SDFO) Yogesh Waghaye, ACF Pritam Singh Kodape, and legal officer Venu Gopal reached Nagpur to seek custody of Kuttu. They filed an application before the chief judicial magistrate seeking custody of Kuttu for his involvement in tiger poaching in Wadsa. The accused has claimed to have killed a tiger in Wadsa. An offence was already registered on May 29, 2007.
According to insiders, Kuttu and five of his accomplices laid traps in FDCM area on May 3. Some employees had seen the accused but let them off because they didn't wish to be burdened with the case. The accused then boarded the Gondia-Chanda Fort train and reached Wadsa, where they were detained on a tip-off.
"However, as no evidence was found, all accused were freed within 24 hours. By the time we seized two tiger traps and a knife, they had disappeared. We tried to trace the culprits at their address in MP for a year but failed to catch them. The MP forest department too did not prove to be of any help. The case will be reopened now," senior officials said.
On Tuesday, CJM SB Gawande did not extend police custody remand (PCR) of Kuttu till Wednesday as demanded by CBI. Kuttu has been sent to magisterial custody (MCR) till March 25. He created scenes in the courtroom before the judge.
Repeated requests by prosecution to extend PCR was turned down. This is despite the fact that Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court has taken serious note of tiger poaching cases and earlier denied bail to globally-linked tiger skin traders Suraj Pal alias Chacha and Naresh Lala.
Special counsel for CBI Kartik Shukul said Kuttu had a history of tiger poaching and hence officials want to conduct psychological profiling and trace sketches of other accused of his help. However, the court turned down the request.
The CJM will hear the application filed by Wadsa officials seeking custody of Kuttu on Wednesday.
