SANSAR CHAND V STATE OF RAJASTHAN, 2010 (10) SCC 604
FACTS
Sansar Chand, the appellant before us has a long history of such criminal activities, starting with a 1974 arrest for 680 skins including tigers, leopards and others. In the subsequent years the appellant and his gang established a complex, interlinking smuggling network to satisfy the demand for tiger and leopard parts and skins outside India's borders, particularly to China. It is alleged that the appellant and his gang are accused in 57 wildlife cases between 1974 and 2005.
The police arrested one Balwan who was traveling in a train with a carton containing leopard's skin. During investigation, the said Balwan made a disclosure statement to the SHO, GRP Bhilwara that the two leopard skins were to be handed over to Sansar Chand at Sadar Bazar, Delhi.
CASE HISTORY
The appellant was charge-sheeted and after trial he was convicted by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Railways), Ajmer, Rajasthan. The appellant filed an appeal which was dismissed by the Special Judge, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Cases, Ajmer. Thereafter the appellant filed a Revision Petition, which was dismissed by the Rajasthan High Court. Hence, this appeal.
JUDGEMENT
The appeal was dismissed by this Court and upheld the order of the learned Magistrate and the High Court.
Obiter:
“…over the last several decades there has been rapid decline of India's wild animals and birds which is a cause of grave concern. Some wild animals and birds have already become extinct e.g. the cheetah and others are on the brink of extinction. Areas which were once teeming with wild life have become devoid of it, and many sanctuaries and parks are empty or almost empty of animals & birds.
One of the main causes for this depredation of the wild life is organized poaching which yields enormous profits by exports to China and other countries.
Article 48A of the Constitution states as follows:“48A. Protection and improvement of environment and safeguarding of forest and wild life. -- The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wild life of the country”.
Article 51A (g) of the Constitution states that it is the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including the wild life.
The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 was enacted for this constitutional purpose. Chapter III of the said Act prohibits hunting of wild animals except in certain limited circumstances. Chapter IV enables the State Government to declare any area as a sanctuary or national park, and destruction or removal of animals from those areas is prohibited except under very limited circumstances. Chapter V & VA prohibits trade or commerce of wild animals, animal articles or trophies. Chapter VI makes violation of the provisions of the Act a criminal offence. By the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Act, 2002 the punishment has been increased vide Section 51 as amended, and the property derived from illegal hunting and trade is liable to forfeiture vide Chapter VIA.
Poaching of animals:
Tigers and leopards are poached for their skins, bones and other constituent parts as these fetch high prices in countries such as China, where they are valued as symbols of power (aphrodisiacs) and ingredients of dubious traditional medicines. This illegal trade is organized and widespread and is in the hands of ruthless sophisticated operators, some of whom have top level patronage.
Poaching of wild life is an organized international illegal activity which generates massive amount of money for the criminals.
When dealing with tiger and leopard poachers and traders, it is therefore important to bear in mind that one is dealing with trans-national organized crime. The accused in these cases represents a link in a larger criminal network that stretches across borders. This network starts with a poacher who in most cases is a poor tribal and a skilled hunter. Poachers kill tigers and leopards so as to supply the orders placed by a trader in a larger city centre such as Delhi.
Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, trading in tiger, leopard and other animal skins and parts is a serious offence.