Bhubaneswar, July 30: A local court in Sambalpur district has convicted a wildlife criminal for possessing leopard skin and sentenced him to undergo rigorous imprisonment for three years with fine.
The Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Kuchinda convicted one Sankirtan Munda of Pahadamara, a village in Deogarh district, for a commission of offence under Section 411 IPC & U/S 51 the Wild Life (Protection) Act,1972.
Sankirtan was apprehended by the STF of Odisha Police on February 15 last on Kuchinda-Bonaigarh road under Kuchinda Police Station.
During the search operation, two leopard skins and other wildlife products were recovered from his possession, while the accused person and another were waiting there to deliver the same to a customer.
After a successful investigation, a charge sheet was submitted against the accused persons under U/S. 379/411/120-B IPC r/w. 51 of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972. During the investigation, the seized leopard skins were also sent to the WildLife Institute of India, Dehradun, for biological and chemical examination, and an affirmative opinion was received.