Deliberating on providing window to return wildlife artefacts: Khandre

Bengaluru: Forest, Ecology, and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre on Thursday, in a press conference in the city, said that the government was deliberating on providing a window to the public as a one-time measure to declare and return the wildlife artefacts in their possession. “Our senior officers are preparing a draft note,” Khandre told DH. “It will be submitted to the advocate general for legal opinion and an announcement will be made soon.”

The minister briefed the press at the Vikasa Soudha on Thursday afternoon after the recent arrest of Varthur Santhosh, a Bigg Boss Kannada 10 contestant, for allegedly wearing a chain with a tiger claw pendant and searches at the houses of several people, including actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and actor & BJP MP Jaggesh.

Khandre said that Jaggesh voluntarily handed over his purported tiger claw pendant, which would be sent for forensic analysis. The actor previously told a television channel that the pendant was a gift from his mother when he turned 20. "My mother had this made from an original tiger claw so that her son should be akin to a tiger," Jaggesh had said.

When asked why only Santhosh and two priests in Chikkamagaluru were arrested for wearing tiger claw pendants and only a notice was issued to Jaggesh, the minister responded: "Jaggesh cooperated with us. Our officers are not under any kind of pressure. There are many past judgements by High Courts and Supreme Court that say that the prerogative lies with the investigating official: a suspect who has cooperated need not be arrested. In case he doesn't, the official has the power to arrest. They take the final call."

Khandre said that once the department receives the forensic report, action would be taken as per the law. “I ask the public to not use artefacts like tiger claws and ivory as it is an aberration of the law and a punishable offence. The use of such artefacts will, in turn, promote hunting and poaching of the wild animals.”

He said that so far, the department received eight complaints regarding the possession of wildlife artefacts. The minister also advised people against wearing fake tiger claw lockets and others.

‘Public needs awareness’

The minister said that the public at large was unaware of the Karnataka Forest Act, the Wildlife Protection Act and other such laws and the forest department would initiate programmes to create awareness.

“Due to the lack of awareness, such violations are generally seen,” Khandre said, adding that the law was same for all and action would be taken against the violators.

“Some people in rural areas keep deer skins, ivory artefacts, deer and stag horns in their houses. They don't even know that it's a crime.”

Khandre said that at present there were 4,000 vacant posts in the forest department. “The finance department has approved the filling up of 800 posts, which will begin soon,” he said.

Activist cries foul

Joseph Hoover, an activist and former member of the state board for wildlife in Karnataka, said that Jaggesh should have been dealt in the same manner as others.

"Jaggesh himself admitted that the tiger claw was original," Hoover told DH. "The second thing is the physical condition of the claw: it is an organic matter and unless preserved, it will decay over time. That itself is an indication that the claw is original. If it was plastic, it will take hundred years to decay."

Arrest of notorious tiger poacher

The minister announced the recent arrest of Chikka alias Krishna Patle Pawar, a notorious tiger poacher from Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh. Chikka was arrested in Jalaga forest range in Belagavi’s Khanapur and presented before the court on July 21, 2023.

“We have information that he had prior cases relating to poaching of tigers in other states and countries. Action has been initiated against him.”

Advice to jewellers

Appealing to the jewellers, the forest minister said that they should refrain from entertaining requests to make jewellery out of wildlife artefacts. They should also display a sign outside their shops that “it was a punishable offence”, Khandre said.