CUTTACK: A primary school headmaster alleged to be the mastermind of a pangolin smuggling racket unearthed by Athagarh forest officials has been granted bail by Orissa High Court.
While allowing the bail application of Shyamsundar Behera on Monday, the Single Judge Bench of Justice SK Panigrahi said, "Though this Court generally is not inclined to grant bail to the people, who are engaged in trafficking or hunting animal like pangolin, in the instant case, considering the submissions made and the facts and circumstances of the case, period of detention, nature of offence, it is directed that the petitioner be released on bail on some stringent terms and conditions as deemed just and proper by SDJM, Athagarh."
Opposing the bail application, counsel for the State argued that, "The petitioner seems to be a member of an organised criminal gang involved in poaching of wild animals."
The petitioner counsel pleaded that the teacher has no direct role in the crime except giving some phone number of some persons to the co-accused. The HC had already released a co-accused on bail in the case, the counsel argued. Behera, a resident of Badamba, was arrested on July 1.