In the case of big cat body parts dug up in Rajaji national park last year, the high court of Uttarakhand has directed the State to again file a reply by next week.
Haridwar resident Dinesh Chandra Pandey had filed a public interest litigation in the high court stating that a tip off had been received by the forest department on March 22, 2018 about poachers having killed leopards and tigers. The body parts of these big cats had been buried in the Dudhiya range of Rajaji. The department recovered the contraband which was ascertained in laboratory tests to be that of big cats. The probe conducted by IFS officer Manoj Chandran in this case had found the role of 11 department personnel and 15 poachers to be dubious in the case. However, when the officer sought permission from the state administration to lodge case against the suspects, the sought permission was not granted. Further, the petitioner avers that in order to protect the suspected officials, the probe of the case was handed over the Special Task Force deputy inspector general. Hearing on the petition on Monday, the division bench of chief justice Ramesh Ranganathan and justice NS Dhanik expressed dissatisfaction at the affidavit filed by the government. The division bench has directed the state to file a detailed affidavit by next Tuesday.