The Hindu : New Delhi News : Sansar booked under MCOCA

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Tuesday, Jul 12, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Sansar booked under MCOCA

Staff Reporter

CBI remand extended by three days

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation has invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against notorious poacher Sansar Chand. His associate has also been booked under the same Act. Meanwhile, a city court extended Sansar's CBI remand by three more days.

According to the CBI, the Act was invoked against Sansar, allegedly the man behind disappearance of large number of tigers from the Sariska National Park in Rajasthan, after the agency found several leads and evidence during his custodial interrogation which indicated that Sansar operated through an elaborate network.

Sansar was arrested by the Delhi Police Crime Branch on June 30 and was then handed over to the CBI in connection with a case lodged at Kamla Market police station early this year. A city court had remanded Sansar to 10-day CBI custody on July 1. CBI sources said the FIR in the Kamla Market case mentioned the names of four persons, including one Sudesh, but Sansar was not named in the case. It was during interrogation that the accused revealed Sansar's name as the one behind poaching and smuggling of wildlife products. Sudesh, from whose house several animal skins were recovered in the raid, has also now been booked under the MCOCA.

A CBI official said this was the first time MCOCA was invoked in a wildlife case. If the charges against Sansar are proven under the Act he may be sentenced for life and a fine running into several lakhs may be imposed. The investigating agency now has six months at their disposal to file the chargesheet against Sansar and his associate, failing which the accused may get bail.

Under the provisions of the Act, the CBI can also seek Sansar's remand for 30 consecutive days. In normal cases, the investigating agency has to file a chargesheet within 90 days or 60 days failing which the accused may get bail.

According to an official, after invoking of the Act, Sansar will not be able to easily dodge the law this time around. The "Veerappan of North India" was arrested in connection with his wildlife involvements at Ajmer in Rajasthan last year.

However, he managed to procure parole and went underground.

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