BHUBANESWAR:When the sleuths of Mahanadi Wildlife Division laid their hands on 58-year old Shamsuddin Khan with 5 kg pangolin scales in Nayagarh on Monday, little did they know that they have arrested not just a serial offender but an inter-state wildlife smuggler who may have links with international gangs.
Khan is alleged to have been involved in a number of wildlife cases related to tiger, leopard, pangolin and other schedule species.Madhya Pradesh Forest department has been after him in connection with two cases since 2014. Khan, who has a 20-year history in wildlife crime, is wanted in two cases in Balaghat and Pench Tiger Reserve in MP. Sources said Chief Wildlife Warden Dr Sandeep Tripathi played a key role in bringing to light Khan’s connection with wildlife crimes in MP.
Khan, a native of Khurda’s Dkahinaparikheta under Begunia poice limits, was found to be in possession of 20 leopard skins in 1996-97 in Athagarh after which he was arrested, investigation by DFO of Mahanadi Wildlife Division Anshu Pragyan Das has revealed. The case continues to be sub judice.Four years back, a Special Task Force (STF) operating Chief Wildlife Warden of Madhya Pradesh had busted a poaching and smuggling gang which not only was involved in inter-State illegal trade of wildlife articles but also had international links too.
Shamsuddin Khan, known as Shamu, was wanted in connection with the gang but has been giving the sleuths a slip. A team of the State Level Tiger Strike Force of MP had visited Dakhinaprikhet in 2016 and served a summon on Khan when he was at large.In fact, the MP STF has, so far, arrested 158 persons from 12 States in 12 cases of poaching and smuggling of pangolin. Of them three were from Odisha. However, of the 35 offenders who were at large included Khan.
In connection with the 2014 case in MP, the STF had arrested Haji Asfaq, a native of Ganjam’s Berhampur. Following interrogation, names of Khan and his son Allah Rakha cropped up.Apparently, Asfaq had confessed to have procured about 244 kg pangolin scales from another accused Javed Akhtar, Khan, Allah Rakha and local tribals. Each kg of pangolin scale was purchased at `12,500. The smuggled items were sold in West Bengal and Assam.