Six individuals have been apprehended, and 53 protected animals and birds were saved in a joint operation by the CBI and DRI in Mumbai, uncovering a wildlife trafficking ring. The recovered animals, including Slow Loris, Binturong, Star Tortoises, Egyptian Vultures, and Shikra birds, are all classified under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, offering them the highest level of safeguarding in India. The operation, supported by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) in Mumbai and Kolkata, was carried out across various locations in Maharashtra and West Bengal based on specific intelligence from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Mumbai regarding an interstate wildlife crime syndicate.
This coordinated effort led to the registration of two separate cases by the CBI on July 7 and 8, resulting in the arrest of three suspects in Mumbai and three in Kolkata. The cases were filed under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and for Criminal Conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The accused had sourced the animals and birds from different parts of India for trading purposes. Following initial procedures, the rescued wildlife was entrusted to the forest departments of Maharashtra and West Bengal for safekeeping and management. This joint initiative highlights the collaboration between law enforcement agencies in disrupting wildlife trafficking networks and actively upholding the Wildlife Protection Act.
The Wildlife (Protection) Act plays a crucial role in safeguarding India’s wild animals, birds, and plant species to ensure environmental and ecological security. The legislation imposes restrictions on hunting various animal species and was last amended in 2006. Although an Amendment bill was presented in the Rajya Sabha in 2013 and referred to a Standing Committee, it was withdrawn in 2015.
