\Delhi High Court dismisses plea of Shahtoosh shawl trader

March 2, 2009

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*Delhi high court Dismisses plea of shatoosh shawl trader*

The efforts to save the Tibetan Antelope got a boost yesterday when Delhi

High Court dismissed the plea of a shahtoosh shawl trader to stay

proceedings against him brought about on charges of possessing shahtoosh

shawls. The origin of the Mohammed Ishaaq Baig versus State case goes back

to 1999, when on 3 March 1999, a raid was conducted by Wildlife Inspectors

and the accused was found to possess 159 shawls of which 10 shawls were

found, by experts, to be of shahtoosh fibre, obtained from the fleece of

Tibetan Antelope (Panthelops hodgsoni). The accused was liable to be

punished under the Wild Life (Protection)Act, 1972. After pre-charge

evidence, the Court framed charges against the accused under Sections 49,

49B and 51. Earlier this month, the accused approached Delhi High Court for

quashing of the complaint and stay of the proceedings. Seeing the importance

of the issue, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) also intervened in the case

through Ms Meenakashi Lekhi and Mr Saurabh Sharma, Advocates who appeared

and represented Wildlife Trust of India to support and assist the

prosecution. In a positive move for wildlife conservation, Hon’ble Mr

Justice S Muralidhar, in his order dated 25th February, 2009, not only

declined to stay the proceedings but even dismissed the petition of the

accused. He ordered that prosecution would get one opportunity to examine

the forensic expert and also ordered that the case should be concluded in a

strict time frame by July 2009. This is among the first few instances in

which a wildlife crime case has been given a specific and quick timeframe

for conclusion. Earlier also, WTI has intervened in the cases of Cottage

Industries Exposition and Mohan Lal Relia where there were seizures of

twelve and forty six shahtoosh shawls respectively.

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