In a significant ruling against illegal wildlife trade, a CBI court in Lucknow has convicted six people in a long-standing case involving the illegal possession and trade of tiger and leopard body parts. Each of the convicts has been sentenced to two years in prison and fined ₹10,000, according to senior police officials on Tuesday.
The verdict was delivered on Monday, nearly 26 years after the case was first registered, highlighting the gravity of the organised wildlife trafficking network that had been investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The convicted individuals have been identified as Mumtaz Ahmad, Zaibun Nisha, Ajij Ullah, Waheed, Sartaj and Majeed.
According to the CBI, the case stemmed from a major recovery operation in which investigators seized a large quantity of prohibited wildlife articles from the residences of the accused. The seizure included 18,000 leopard claws, 74 leopard skins, four tiger skins, and bones belonging to both tigers and leopards.
Officials stated that all seized items are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which offers the highest level of legal protection to endangered species and strictly bans the possession, transportation, or trade of such wildlife products.
The CBI registered the case on March 23, 2000, and, following what it described as a thorough and meticulous investigation, filed a complaint before the competent court in Lucknow on July 15, 2000.
During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence demonstrating the accused persons’ active involvement in an organised wildlife smuggling and illegal trafficking network.
Based on the evidence on record, the court held all six accused guilty and convicted them under Section 49B of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, read with Section 120-B of the IPC and Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
CBI officials said the conviction sends a strong message against wildlife crime and is likely to deter those engaged in the illegal trade of endangered species and their body parts.
The case is regarded as a major step in combating organised wildlife trafficking, a criminal network often associated with interstate and cross-border smuggling syndicates.
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