5th August, 2004

Four men, arrested for the possession of 28 kg of ivory in Corbett Tiger Reserve, on 30 June 2004, were sentenced to a further 14-day judicial remand by the Judicial Magistrate, Ramnagar.

A team from the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) was at Ramnagar to assist the Forest Department when the case was heard court on 27 July 2004. Arguing for the Forest Department, WPSI lawyer Pankaj Kumar Singh pointed out to the court that the cut pieces of ivory came from three tusks, while only one elephant skeleton had been recovered. Investigations would remain incomplete till the second dead elephant had been found.

Convinced by the argument, Judicial Magistrate Mr. B.B. Pandey extended the remand for a further 14 days. This extension will give the Corbett Tiger Reserve authorities time to finish their investigation in a case full of intriguing twists and turns.

It appears at least one of the elephants was shot by Rai Sikh poachers around two years ago and its tusks and those of another elephant were collected by Gujjars. The ivory was split into two lots, one of which was buried. Mastu Gujjar and a trader, Hamid, were arrested by Range Officer Satish Chandra Upadhyay with one lot of the ivory on 30 June 2004. The buried ivory was recovered the same day, when Gani and Manga were arrested.