19th Oct., 2004

On 16 October 2004, the Rajasthan police arrested a man in North Jaipur for carrying leopard claws. After the man claimed to be working for the notorious Delhi-based wildlife trader Sansar Chand, the Rajasthan police raided Sansar’s Delhi house on 18 October. In the raid some of his family members were arrested and produced on the same day before the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Jaipur, who remanded them to judicial custody up to 26 October.

A legal team from Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) visited Jaipur on 19 October to hold discussions with police officials, and to provide the latest trial court judgements and copies of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

Mr. Surendra Singh Rathod, the main Investigating Officer (IO) and the SHO of Manakchowk Police Station, has promised a detailed investigation of the modus operandi of this illegal trade network.

WPSI has also requested the SHO to seek assistance of its Jaipur based lawyer in order to expedite the trial and prosecution of the accused.