KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday stayed the criminal case registered by the police against an Indian Forest Service officer for the alleged custodial torture of an accused in the elephant poaching case.
The court issued the order on the petition by T Uma – former divisional forest officer, forest headquarters, Vazhuthacaud, Thiruvananthapuram, who is currently serving as the regional deputy director of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Southern Region, Chennai – seeking to quash the criminal case.
The case was registered on the complaint filed by the accused Aji Bright of Attingal who alleged ill-treatment by forest officers after he was arrested from Thiruvananthapuram.
The case was related to the poaching of 18 elephants for illegal ivory smuggling and trade. In all, 26 cases were registered, 75 persons were arrested and 465 kg of ivory and ivory artefacts were seized.