No evidence in cub case

VADODARA, May 6: Two months ago, the city police and forest officials raided a high-society birthday party at a posh farmhouse near Vadod...

VADODARA, May 6: Two months ago, the city police and forest officials raided a high-society birthday party at a posh farmhouse near Vadodara and rescued an Asiatic lion cub that on display8217;. There was any number of witnesses present. Yet today, the police seek court permission to close the case as they have 8220;no evidence8221;.

The raid, on February 27, came after a guest at the Anurag Farmhouse party tipped off, by phone, Faheem and Bharat of the Gujarat Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The police team that went to the spot confiscated the animal and registered a case under Section 22 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 the next day. Interrogation of party host and the cub supplier 8212; Apollo Circus 8212; followed.

Incredibly, the police moved court two months later and said there was no exhibition of the cub at the party and thus no cruelty to the animal. It has now obtained permission of the chief judicial magistrate to shut the February 27 case, though it8217;s yet to 8220;officially8221; collect the order.

Reacting to the police move, Snehal Bhatt of the GSPCA said this was a blow to the cause of animal rights. 8220;But this is not the first time, they have closed various other cases pertaining to exhibition of wildlife animals in the past. This only exposes the ignorance of the guardians of the law about wildlife legislation8221;, she said.

Meanwhile, Dr R M Patel, deputy conservator of Forest wildlife, Vadodara, said their investigation in the same case under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 was in progress. The cub is in the custody of the Forest Department at Indroda Park, Gandhinagar.

In another development, circus manager V C Shanku told Express Newsline from Bharuch that his team which had gone to Gandhinagar with a court order to get the cub back returned empty-handed. 8220;We were told the officer authorised to give the transit pass to transfer a schedule-I animal endangered species was not available on that day.We will again try to get it in a day or two, but if we are harassed by forest officials, we will sue them for contempt of court8221;, he added.