BERHAMPUR: A court in Rayagada has convicted two persons for trafficking wildlife skins. The Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate sentenced Bikram Majhi and Raja Majhi, both from Bijapur in the Chandrapur block, under sections 379, 411, and 120(B) of the IPC, alongside section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
The court imposed a three-year rigorous imprisonment sentence and a fine of Rs 10,000 for violations of section 51(1A) of the Wildlife Act. If the fine is not paid, the duo will face an additional six months of RI. They were also sentenced to three years of RI under section 411 of the IPC and six months under section 120-B. All sentences will run concurrently.
The arrests were made on November 7, 2023, when the Special Task Force (STF) in Bhubaneswar apprehended the two men on the Rayagada-Bisamkatak road near Tamparbiduni Chhak. They were caught with two leopard skins while waiting to deliver them to a customer. Following a thorough investigation led by inspector Jitu Mohon Beshra, a charge sheet was filed against the accused.
The seized leopard skins were sent to the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun for examination, which confirmed their authenticity.
This case marks the eighth conviction by the STF under the Wildlife Protection Act, said IG JN Pankaj. “Despite a national conviction rate for wildlife crimes below five percent, the STF has been committed to high-standard investigations, aiming to conclude cases with successful convictions,” he said.