Mumbai Crime: 250 black corals, 50 lizard organs seized from Kalyan shop; 3 held

Police team with the seized items.

In a joint operation, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) Western Region and Maharashtra Forest Department's Kalyan Range Forest Office (Kalyan RFO) team, seized 250 black corals and 50 Hatha Jodi from a Vastu consultant commercial shop at Kalyan (West) recently and arrested three people.

The items were seized from Shubh Sanket Vastu shop run by Dr. Geeta Anand Jakhotiya, at 102 / 103, C Wing, Nav Everest Tower, Opp. Maxi Ground, Santoshi Mata Road, Kalyan (West).

Following a tip-off received by WCCB team, a trap was set by Kalyan RFO team and they successfully seized 250 Black Corals (Antipatharians), which are protected under Schedule I, Part IV A of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and 50 Hatha Jodi (organs - penises of monitor lizard), which are protected under Schedule I, Part II of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

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A preliminary Offence Report (POR) No. WL-18/2021-22 dated 16.09.2021 was register under Sections 2(16), 9, 39, 51, 52 and 48(a) of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 against Kalyan resident, Geeta Anand Jakhotiya (47) and staff Navnath Trimbak Ghuge (30) and Akshay Manohar Deshmukh (22).

"We have arrested three people in the case and they have been remanded to two-day forest custody till September 19," said RFO Kalyan R. N. Channe.

"Black corals and hatha jodi are being sold for black magic, good luck, wealth, prosperity, ayurvedic medicine etc in Vastu shops which is illegal and violation of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972," said Honorary Wildlife Warden Sunish Subramanian Kunju.