Probe in wildlife case against Aamir politically motivated: CPI

New Delhi, July 13 (UNI) The CPI has flayed as ''politically motivated'' the Gujarat government's decision to open investigation into an eight-year-old case against Bollywood actor Aamir Khan pertaining to violation of the Wildlife Act.

CPI leader Atul Kumar Anjan told UNI that the case was related to the filming of a Chinkara for commercial purposes during the production of the actor's movie 'Lagaan', which was India's official entry for the Oscar Awards.

''The state (Gujarat) Forest department has now reopened the case at the behest of the BJP-led state government to harass and punish him for lending his support to the Narmada Bachao Andolan when Medha Patkar was on an indefinite strie here for rehabilitation of the displaced people,'' Mr Anjan said.

The Forest Department had started to probe the case to ascertain whether the Wildlife Act was violated and the FIR suggests that even though no harm was caused to wildlife, the film's producers had not sought the permission of the Forest Department for filming the scene.

''The Gujarat government is trying to implicate him ...the BJP and its associate organisations have contributed to the undeclared ban on his film 'Fanaa' in the state,'' Mr Anjan said.

The CPI leader called upon all the democratic forces, including the artistes and intellectuals, to oppose the state government's move aimed at stifling the ''voice of an individual''.

UNI KSA RR BD1700