Three animal skin smugglers get rigorous imprisonment

New Delhi, Nov 17 (UNI) A city court today sentenced three people to five years rigorous imprisonment in connection with the smuggling of leopard and other animal skins.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Alok Aggarwal sentenced Anand alias Tashi, Lobsang Phuntsok and Jeev Bahadur, who were caught with 45 leopard skin and 14 other skin of the endangered species in April 6, 2005 in Majnu ka Tilla.

Earlier, the court had convicted them under Section 49 and 49 B(I) of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. The case was transferred to CBI on the order of the Supreme Court in 2005.

The prosecution argued that the accused worked for one Chhwang renowned Tibetan wildlife smuggler. Jeev Bahadur had smuggled animal skin to Nepal via road.

UNI