Pune (PTI): Forest officials have seized burnt hair of Chinkara deer along with some animal bones from the farm house of a Maharashtra minister in Mahabaleshwar hill station region on Sunday.

The search was a part of an investigation being carried out to book the culprits responsible for the hunting of a Chinkara deer in Bhor forest area on the night of June 14, sources in the forest department said.

Villagers had reported sighting of Dharmarao Atram's car with red beacon along with two other vehicles leading to suspicion over his involvement in the poaching of the deer, an endangered species.

Atram is the NCP Minister of State for Adivasi Welfare and Transport in the ruling Congress-NCP coalition government.

Forest officials have filed a case under the protection of wildlife act and arrested two persons in this connection. The minister's car too had been seized and searched during the ongoing investigations, sources said.

State Forest Minister Baban Pachpute also belonging to NCP has asked the concerned officials to conduct a free and impartial probe into the incident.