SC seeks responses of Centre, NTCA on PIL alleging organised tiger poaching

New Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Centre, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and others on a PIL seeking a CBI probe into an alleged organised tiger-poaching and illegal wildlife-trade racket operating in states like Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran was hearing a plea filed by lawyer Gaurav Kumar Bansal, highlighting the grave threat posed to the tiger population by organised poaching syndicates operating across state and national boundaries.

At the outset, Bansal said at least 30 per cent tigers are outside designated tiger reserves and referred to news reports of the large-scale poaching of the big cat.

"Issue notice," the bench said and asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, who appeared in the court on behalf of the Centre and other authorities, to take instructions on the petition.

The plea has referred to recent and continuing revelations of an organised transnational syndicate engaged in systematic poaching of tigers in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, and the smuggling of the animals' body parts across state and international borders.

"The arrest of several accused persons, the seizure of tiger skins, bones, weapons and financial records, as well as the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), have clearly established that the menace is not confined to an isolated incident but reflects the existence of a deep-rooted criminal network that undermines the rule of law...," it has said.

The cause of action is further strengthened by the glaring vulnerabilities in non-protected territorial forest areas adjoining notified tiger reserves, which have repeatedly become the soft targets of poachers, the plea has added.

"Unless this court intervenes and directs a comprehensive, independent and coordinated investigation, the ecological security of the nation and the survival of the national animal will be gravely compromised," it has said, seeking a CBI probe.

"Direct the respondents (the Centre and others) to immediately implement the recommendations of the SIT and extend effective protection, surveillance and patrolling to tiger corridors and territorial forest divisions adjoining tiger reserves, treating them at par with core areas," the plea has said.

The petition has made the Union ministries of home affairs, environment, forest and climate change, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the NTCA parties to it.

It has also made the states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and their respective forest chiefs respondents. The PIL has sought judicial intervention following revelations made in a report of the SIT constituted by the Maharashtra government.

The SIT report, according to the petition, has exposed a sprawling network of professional poachers, smugglers and hawala operators engaged in killing tigers in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, and trafficking the animals' skins, bones and trophies through illegal channels extending to Myanmar. PTI SJK RC