Three years imprisonment for shahtoosh shawls smuggling

In August 2009 Wildlife Inspector of WCCB examined one shipment consisting of 27 bales claiming to be woolen blended pashmina shawls at Indira Gandhi International Air Cargo Complex, New Delhi. On examination, inspector suspected 4 shawls to be of shahtoosh and advised customs to detain the consignment. The shawls were seized and a case under Wildlife Protection Act was registered. In forensic examination 4 shawls were found containing hair of Tibetan Antelope or Chiru (Panthlops hodgsoni). After the trial ACMM Court- Delhi had convicted the accused from Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir and sentenced him to undergo Simple Imprisonment for three years and he is also sentenced to pay a fine of Rs. 10,000/- for the offence u/s 51 of Wild Life (Protection) Act for the contravention of Section 49 and 49B(1) of the Act and in default simple imprisonment for one month.

Rhino shot dead in Jaldapara, 6 arrested with horn

A gang of poachers, including a "sharp shooter" from Arunachal Pradesh and a teacher, sneaked into the Jaldapara National Park, West Bengal and shot dead an adult female rhino on 5 February 2018, sawing away its horn.  Foresters could nab six of them and recovered the horn. Also, a rifle that they had buried in the forest, and live bullets, were also found.

https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/west-bengal/six-held-over-rhino-poaching-206976

Chinkara poachers sentenced to three years imprisonment

The court of Judicial Magistrate First Class-Betul, Madhya Pradesh had convicted two people for killing a Chinkara (Indian gazelle) in Multai Range on August 2013 and sentenced them to three years imprisonment and ₹10,000 fine each.

Four people sentenced to five years imprisonment in wildlife smuggling

Chief Judicial Magistrate of Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand had convicted four people whom were arrested by forest department with a skin each of leopard and leopard cat at Rudraprayag in January 2017. All four accused were sentenced to five years imprisonment and ₹ 10,000 fine each.

Two persons convicted for musk pods smuggling

On November 2010 in a joint operation of Uttarakhand police and forest department, arrested two persons of Bageshwar with two musk pods at Haldwani in Nainital district. After the trial, Judicial Magistrate of Haldwani had convicted both the accused and sentenced them to 3 years imprisonment and ₹ 10,000 fine each.

Star Tortoises seized at Bangkok airport

330 star tortoises hidden in three suitcases were seized by customs officials at Bangkok airport, Thailand on 30 November 2017.
https://www.thephuketnews.com/330-indian-star-tortoises-seized-at-airport-64932.php#WeL2IEGtmWDLpxTj.97

Engine drivers honoured for save the elephant

North East Frontier Railway was awarded two engine drivers for exceptional devotion towards duty for save the elephant. Shri Sujit Prasad (Loco Pilot) and Shri Khageshwar Singh (Sr Asst Loco Pilot) based at Alipurduar Jn while o­n duty o­n a goods train suddenly observed a big elephant o­n railway track at KM 29/4-5 between Sevok and Gulma station o­n 23.10.2017. They immediately stopped the train by applying emergency brake thereby saved the elephant and a probable derailment. In recognition of their service and devotion towards duty Addl. General Manager N.F.Railway awarded them with “Man of the month October – 2017” certificate along-with a cash award of Rs. 5,000/- each.
http://www.nfr.indianrailways.gov.in/view_detail.jsp?lang=0&dcd=1183&id=0,4,268

India received Certificate of Commendation from CITES

The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) of India was awarded with a Certificate of Commendation by the Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The CITES Secretary-General’s Certificate of Commendation recognizes exemplary enforcement actions. It was awarded to WCCB in recognition of exemplary work conducted to initiate and coordinate a national intelligence-driven law enforcement operation focused on the major Indian states affected by poaching of and illegal trade in live tortoises and turtles. The operation, code-named “Operation Save Kurma”, was conducted from 15 December 2016 to 30 January 2017, and resulted in the seizure of 15,912 live tortoises and turtles and the arrest of 55 suspects.
https://cites.org/eng/news/pr/Indian_law_enforcement_operation_seizes_16000_tortoises_turtles_arrests_55_CITES_SG_Certificate_Commendation_30112017

Leopard poacher sentenced to 5 years imprisonment in Madhya Pradesh

The court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Betul had convicted a person for killing a leopard in Sarni Range of Betul North forest division, Madhya Pradesh on 30 September 2011 and sentenced him to 5 years rigorous imprisonment and ₹10,000 fine. Two persons whom had abetment to this crime (violation of section 52 of Wildlife Protection Act) have also convicted and sentenced to 3 years imprisonment and ₹10,000 fine each.

In two instances tiger skins seized in Nepal were originated from India

In two case studies presented by Government of India to CITES Secretariat shows that one of the tiger skin seized in Nepal on January 2013 was originated from Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh and tiger skin seized in December 2015 at Sunsari, Nepal was originated from Corbett Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand.
https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/com/sc/69/inf/E-SC69-Inf-34.pdf

69 Shahtoosh shawls seized in Switzerland in between October 2016 to March 2017

Documents presented by Switzerland to CITES secretariat shows that since CoP17 (October 2016), until 9 March 2017, Switzerland made 22 seizures involving a total of 69 shawls containing fibres of Tibetan antelope wool. The majority of the seizures were made following targeted inspections during the winter season and during controls by border officials specifically trained to detect products containing fibres of wool from Tibetan antelopes. The shawls were seized from private individuals travelling to Switzerland from other European countries, mainly from Italy and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but single cases from Austria, France, Germany and the United States of America were also detected. Most of the travellers carried between one and four shawls, with the exception of one traveller who was carrying 14 shawls. Furthermore, one seizure involving four shawls were made from a traveller on a domestic flight. Inspections at commercial vendors within Switzerland resulted in four seizures involving a total of 32 shawls. Switzerland reported that it had been in contact with Italy and the United Kingdom, since there has been an increase of travellers carrying shahtoosh shawls from these countries.
https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/com/sc/69/E-SC69-59.pdf

Tiger poacher convicted, sentenced to three-year jail

Notorious tiger poacher Bhima was convicted and awarded three-year imprisonment in a 2012 case by an environment court in Faridabad in neighbouring Haryana, officials said on Tuesday. The special environment court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on him under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 in a case of seizure of tiger skin, tiger bones, ivory, and other wildlife contraband from him on August 1, 2012.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/tiger-poacher-convicted-sentenced-to-three-year-jail-117112101228_1.html

Tiger poisoning case: Forester suspended

Nagpur: Stung by the allegations of corruption in poisoning of two tigers in Paoni range, the Nagpur chief conservator of forests (CCF) Sanjeev Gaur suspended forester ST Uikey.
CCF Gaur issued orders to suspend Uikey after it was found that he deliberately delayed cattle kill and crop damage compensation cases in Hiwra round where he was posted. According to tigers' poisoning case accused Anandrao Madavi of Pindkepar, Uikey was demanding Rs 1,000 to settle cattle kill cases. Tigers had preyed on Madavi's two cows and injured one in the last 2-3 months.
Frustrated Madavi (42), who has encroached upon irrigation land and grazed cattle illegally on forest land, sprinkled deadly pesticide on dead cow that caused death of two tigers.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/tiger-poisoning-case-forester-suspended/articleshow/61744916.cms

Deer poaching in Rajasthan

Patrika had exposed the intensity of deer poaching in Rajasthan. Read it here: https://www.patrika.com/sikar-news/illegal-hunting-of-deer-in-sikar-patrika-sting-operation-in-shekhawati-2-2000841/

Two tigers electrocuted and another found dead

Bodies of two tigers suspected to have electrocuted were found yesterday at Chandrapur district of Maharashtra and Katni district of Madhya Pradesh. Another tiger was found dead at Kaziranga, Assam.
http://thehitavada.com/Encyc/2017/11/8/Tiger-dies-of-electrocution-in-Chimur.aspx
http://naidunia.jagran.com/madhya-pradesh/katni-body-of-a-tiger-found-in-the-forest-of-rohaniya-buffer-zone-of-bandhavgarh-1389757?utm_source=naidunia