Bengaluru: The officials of Karnataka Forest Department on Wednesday conducted search operations here in the residences of celebrities and politicians following a row that erupted after the arrest of a reality show contestant for wearing a locket made of tiger’s claw.
Sources in the Forest Department said that well-known Kannada actor and BJP Rajya Sabha Member Jaggesh has also come under scanner as a video showing him admitting that he is wearing a tiger’s claw as a pendant has emerged.
The Karnataka Forest Department detained Varthur Santhosh, a contestant from the Big Boss (Kannada) reality show in Bengaluru, for allegedly wearing a locket made of tiger’s claw.
Santhosh was taken into custody from the Big Boss reality show set last Sunday.
Later, he was sent to 14-day judicial custody.
Jaggesh in an interview to a private channel claimed that the pendant “was sourced from a tiger”.
The video later went viral on social media.
Former MLC and Congress leader P.R. Ramesh has lodged a complaint with the Forest Department’s Additional Secretary Javed Akthar against Jaggesh.
After receiving the complaint, Akthar had assured Ramesh of action. The official said he would be forwarding the complaint to authorities to initiate action.
Meanwhile, Forest Department officials have been conducting searches at his residence in Malleshwaram locality here, and a search operation was underway.
The Forest Department has been conducting searches at film producer Rockline Venkatesh’s residence in Rajajinagar locality as well.
Another team was carrying out search operations at the residence of Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of former Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, in the upscale J.P. Nagar locality in Bengaluru.
The search operation was also conducted at the residence of Kannada superstar Darshan’s residence in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar here.
According to sources, a notice has been issued to all celebrities and religious seers who are found using the wild animal’s parts.
After people shared pictures of celebrities and politicians wearing tiger’s lockets, and demanded action against them, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said that “no one will be spared”.
(IANS)
