Kolkata: Rabindra Roy (66), a man from Mechua Dhora village under Falakata police station in Alipurduar, who was arrested in Aug last year for smuggling a rhinoceros horn and other wildlife articles, was on Tuesday convicted and sentenced to three-year imprisonment. The Alipurduar Court, which convicted him in less than a year of his arrest, also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000.
“Roy was arrested by a team, led by the range officer of Jaldapara west from Birpara-Jateswar Road near Jateswar High School on Aug 13, 2023. One rhino horn and an antler of a hog deer were seized from him,” said Parveen Kaswan, DFO, Jaldapara. Next day, he was produced before the ACJM, Alipurduar Court. “The judgment came in record time. In this case, permission for custodial trial was granted by the court. The accused has been convicted of illegal trading of wildlife articles derived from Schedule I animal as mentioned in Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Failing to pay the fine will lead to another two months’ imprisonment,” added Kaswan.
Mriganka Maity, range officer of Jaldapara west, was the investigating officer. The judgment was given by the judicial magistrate III of Alipurduar Court.