Bhopal, August 11: Two individuals convicted of trafficking rare turtles in Madhya Pradesh will remain in jail. The Upper Sessions Court in Sagar has dismissed their appeal, upholding both the sentence and the fine imposed on them. The State Tiger Strike Force (STSF) arrested Shekhar Das and Mohammad Sultan for their involvement in the international trafficking of the critically endangered red-crowned roof turtles, leading to their appeal.
The special court has rejected this appeal, confirming the sentence and fine. The court ordered both defendants to serve three years of rigorous imprisonment at the Central Jail in Sagar. Additionally, each has been fined ₹10,000.
In 2017, a joint team from the State Tiger Strike Force and the Forest Department uncovered a trafficking operation involving rare red-crowned turtles and pangolin scales from the National Chambal Sanctuary and its ecological region. Investigations revealed that the accused were part of an international gang that collected these rare turtles from the Chambal River and illegally exported them through Kolkata and the India-Bangladesh border. The gang was also involved in a network of illegal financial transactions through hawala, alongside wildlife trafficking.
Based on the evidence, statements, and investigation reports presented by the STSF, the special court in Sagar found both defendants guilty of violating the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 (Amendment 2022) on March 29, 2022, sentencing them to three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹10,000 each. They appealed against this ruling.
The appellate court upheld the findings of the STSF’s investigation and the evidence presented, stating that there was no legal error in the special court’s decision. Consequently, the appellate court dismissed the appeals and ordered the defendants to serve their sentences at the Central Jail in Sagar.
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