BHUBANESWAR: The Wildlife wing of State Government on Wednesday urged Crime Branch (CB) to investigate into the illegal pangolin trade in Athagarh forest division. Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) and Chief Wildlife Warden HS Upadhyay in a letter to Additional DG of CID Crime Branch said the expertise available with the investigating agency will be helpful in tracing the inter-state and international link of the racket.
Upadhyay informed CB that Athgarh forest division had cracked a pangolin smuggling racket on November 30 and arrested 15 accused, busted another pangolin trafficking racket on January 17 and arrested three persons.
“The investigation indicated the involvement of some persons from Buxi Bazar, Cuttack and Bhadrak. As the ultimate destination of pangolin and its scale is outside Odisha and India, it would be appropriate if you could take over the further investigation of the cases and burst the syndicate behind the pangolin smuggling,” Upadhyay wrote.
Upadhyay informed Express that CB has also agreed to investigate the cases. The PCCF also said Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, which had been urged to investigate the first case in which the smugglers were involved in online trading of the pangolin, will also continue to unearth the international link.Meanwhile, Athagarh SDJM has allowed Athagarh Forest Division to take Mahammad Ali, the alleged mastermind of pangolin smuggling racket of January 17, on remand for a day on January 24 for further investigation. Police will also take on remand two other accused in the case Hadibandhu Jena and Santosh Das.