Bhubaneswar: The Judicial Magistrate First Class court at Harabhanga in Boudh district sentenced a person to three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 10,000 for possessing a leopard skin.
The convicted has been identified as Goutam Behera, a resident of Nuasahi under Phulbani Sadar limits in Kandhamal district.
As per reports, on January 20, 2024, the Special Task Force (STF) Bhubaneswar conducted a successful operation, apprehending accused Behera near Ranipathar village, on the Charichhak-Phulbani main road in Boudh district. The accused was caught while he was waiting to deliver a leopard skin to a customer, which was promptly recovered by the STF.
Following a thorough investigation, a charge sheet was filed against Behera under Sections 379/411 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 51 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
The seized skin was later sent to the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, for verification.
The case then went to trial, where the prosecution presented strong evidence, including testimony from 11 witnesses and 9 important documents. This evidence led to the accused being found guilty.
With this conviction, STF achieved a 100% success rate.
“This conviction marks a 100% success rate for STF Odisha in wildlife cases, surpassing the national average of less than 5%. STF’s specialized investigations and meticulous prosecution have led to this impressive record”, read a release issued by STF Odisha.
“This is the Ninth case of STF where the accused persons were convicted under the Wildlife Protection Act. Till date, the trial has been completed in 9 Wildlife cases and all the cases ended in conviction”, added the release.
“STF Odisha remains committed to combating organized crime and wildlife offences,” said an official.
