Vijay Pinjarkar | TNN |

Updated: Oct 5, 2016, 09.18 AM IST

NAGPUR: In a strong message to those taking poaching of wild animals lightly, Justice SB Shukre at the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court has rejected the bail application of accused involved in consuming meat of monitor lizard in Amravati.

Manoj Vasantrao Jagtap and several others were involved in killing four monitor lizards for a party at Jagtap's farmhouse on July 17.

Based on statements of co-accused, the panchnama drawn out by forest officers and seizures made by them court prima facie supported what was revealed by co-accused Maroti Waghmare and Vilas Dahake. The DNA report is positive stating that large Bengal Monitor Lizard (Varanus Bengalensis), listed in Part II of Schedule of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, was consumed.

Justice Shukre said that the seriousness of the crime in the case can be further realized if we consider its impact on the larger interest of the society. "Today, human society is desperate to get adequate supply of water, leave alone unpolluted water, and pure air. Good forest ecosystems are treasure troves of these fundamental resources. If they are disturbed or twisted or tweaked, human society will be hard put to get these fundamental resources and that will push the human society to the brink of a crisis," Justice Shukre said.



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