RANCHI: In a major crackdown on wildlife trafficking, a joint team of the Forest Department’s Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and Ranchi Police raided a hotel in Ranchi and recovered 30 monitor lizard hemipenes, popularly known as “hatha”.
Three persons, including BJP leader Rajeev Ranjan Mishra and his son, were arrested in connection with the case.
Rajeev Ranjan Mishra had contested the 2014 Assembly elections from the Ranchi constituency as a candidate of Babulal Marandi’s party, JVM. He is also associated with several religious organisations.
According to officials, the Forest Department had been receiving information for a long time about alleged wildlife trafficking activities in the city.
Acting on the tip-off, Divisional Forest Officer Shrikant Verma constituted a team, which raided the hotel at around 12.30 pm and apprehended the three accused from Room No. 203.
Thirty monitor lizard genitals were recovered from their possession, stored in a black plastic bag.
Forest officials said the monitor lizard is a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act, and trafficking of its body parts is believed to be linked to organised international smuggling networks.
The seized consignment is estimated to be worth several lakhs of rupees in the illegal market.
Officials said preliminary investigations suggest the case may be connected to a larger organised wildlife trafficking network.
Investigators are now trying to determine the source of the seized items and identify the intended buyers or recipients.
Rajeev Ranjan Mishra, his son and another individual were initially detained for questioning before being formally arrested. Police are also examining their alleged criminal links and possible connections to wider trafficking networks.
Experts noted that monitor lizards play an important role in maintaining ecological balance and that trafficking of such species poses a serious threat to biodiversity.
The Forest Department’s investigation revealed that Rooms No. 203 and 206 at the hotel had been booked in the name of Vishnu Kumar Gupta, a resident of Durgapur in West Bengal. Both rooms had allegedly been booked since May 13. All three accused were apprehended in one of the rooms.