Thane, Feb 28 :An illegal Elephant dealer from Kerala who was wanted by the Kerala forest department has been finally traced to Navi Mumbai of Thane district the NM Police said on Sunday.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police Crime, Pravin Patil told this correspondent that On being informed by Surendra Kumar, IFS, Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala Forest Department, about an absconding and wanted accused in five different cases of illegal dealing of live captive elephants in Kerala, Yogesh Nilkanth Warkad, IFS, Regional Deputy Director (RDD), Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Western Region, Navi Mumbai had taken a serious note of it.
Chief Wildlife Warden requested the WCCB to detain the accused who was hiding somewhere at Navi Mumbai and to hand over the accused to the Kerala Forest Department after arresting him. Subsequently, Warkad, IFS, RDD, WCCB, WR contacted . Pravin Kumar Patil, IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, Navi Mumbai and requested his coordination in detaining the absconded accused. Later a joint team of WCCB and Crime Brach Police comprising Doki Adimallaiah, Wildlife Inspector, WCCB, . Vijay Chavan Assistant Police Inspector & Yogesh Waghmare, Police Sub Inspector had been formed and the team started making surveillance in two different areas at Navi Mumbai.
After carrying out a prolonged and intensive search, on February 24, 2021, two suspected locations were identified and the joint team under the leadership of Yogesh Nilkanth Warkad, IFS was able to locate the prime and absconded accused V. Shaji at Koparkhairene area of Navi Mumbai. He was detained and taken to the office of the Regional Deputy Director, WCCB, afterward. As requested and authorized by the Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala Forest Department, the accused was arrested by the Wildlife Inspector, WCCB and consequent upon his arrest he was produced before the Hon’ble 8th Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class, Vashi, Navi Mumbai.
WCCB was able to manage to obtain the Transit Remand till midnight of February 28-2021. Meanwhile, the Kerala Forest team reached Navi Mumbai and the arrested accused had been handed over to the Kerala Forest Team. During the evening on February 26 the accused was transported to Kerala by the Kerala Forest Team and Adimallaiah, Wildlife Inspector of this office also accompanied the team for further assistance to produce the accused before the Hon’ble Kollam Court. On reaching Kerala, the accused was produced before the Hon’ble Court at Punalur, Kollam District without further delay and the Hon’ble Court had issued an Order of 14 days Judicial Custody till March 10, it was stated. Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala had appreciated the efforts of WCCB and Crime Branch Police, Navi Mumbai. (UNI)