After 14 years, court convicts ivory dealer

In a first such success, Forest Department's long-winded legal battle reached its finale when the court sentenced Farooq Issa to 3 yrs in jail for breaching Wildlife Act

In a first such success, Forest Department's long-winded legal battle reached its finale when the court sentenced Farooq Issa to 3 yrs in jail for breaching Wildlife Act

Animal activists will find enough reason to cheer this verdict. After 14 years of painstaking investigations and regular follow-ups in the court, the Forest Department has finally managed to get a conviction for an ivory trader in south Mumbai.

The victory, the department's first, came after the Esplanade Court found Farooq Issa, the owner of an antique SoBo store, guilty of selling ivory items that are prohibited under the Wildlife Act on March 5.

The verdict, a rare success for the forest department, came through as none of the witnesses turned hostile. The court sentenced Issa to three years of imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 10, 000 on him. The incident dates back to 1998, when the Colaba police, acting on a tip-off, sent a decoy to buy an ivory item. Soon after, the police raided Issa's store and seized 61 items made of ivory. After a detailed panchnama, the forest department submitted the evidence to the court, along with the statements of and assessment by forest officials and wildlife scientists.

"The fact that a conviction was achieved after 14 long years is a feather in the cap for the forest department," said Manish Moge, the decoy used by cops.

Moreover, in the order copy, released on March 8, the court also directed officials to take action against the defence counsel under Sections 224 and 109 of the Indian Penal Code. It observed that the counsel abetted the offence. It issued an arrest warrant against the accused who has been absconding after he got bail the same year that he was charged with the violation.

Did you know?
Under the Wildlife Act, wild animals and animal trophies or articles are government property. They cannot be possessed without prior written permission from the Chief Wild Life Warden.

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