(IN): Darjeeling court rejects bail plea of Czech scientists

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*Darjeeling court rejects bail plea of Czech scientists*

 

*Express News Service*

Posted online: Tuesday , July 22, 2008 at 02:16:58

Updated: Tuesday , July 22, 2008 at 02:16:58

*

**Kolkata, July 21* The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Darjeeling,

today rejected the bail petition of Czech scientist Petr Svacha and Emil

Kucera and extended their custody for two more days.

 

As the strike called by the Darjeeling Bar Association continued today, no

advocate could move the bail plea of the scientists. Assistant Public

Prosecutor Gobind Chetri was present in the court to oppose the petition.

 

Defending their act, the scientists said that they had not violated any law.

 

 

Svacha and Kuchera are lodged in Darjeeling jail since June 22, for

violation of the Wild Life Protection Act.

 

Both were arrested by the Forest department from Singalila range in

Darjeeling on June 22.

 

Meanwhile, vice-president of the Darjeeling Bar Association Anand Verma said

the strike might be called off on Wednesday.

 

Since the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha called a strike in the government offices

on June 10, district and sub-ordinate courts in Darjeeling were opened for

the first time on Monday. Last week, the GJM had announced it would withdraw

the strike from Monday.

 

A spokesman of the Czech embassy in Calcutta said that they would wait for

July 23, till the next hearing at ACJM court, Darjeeling.

 

_____________________________

*

Czech nationals denied bail*

 

 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

 

Kolkata: The bail plea of Czech nationals Petr Svacha and Emil Kucera, who

have been arrested on charges of illegally collecting rare butterflies from

the Singalila National Park, was turned down by the Darjeeling district

court on Monday. Their counsel, Sheshmani Gurung, could not come to court to

defend them because of the GJMcalled strike at government offices in

Darjeeling.

But all is not lost for the duo. The court will hear the case again on

Wednesday and the strike is expected to be called off on Tuesday.

" It's a pity that I couldn't defend my clients. Or else, the bail might

have been granted. Let's hope the strike will be withdrawn on Tuesday, " said

Sheshmani Gurung.

The forest department, on the other hand, claimed that the plea had been

duly heard and rejected. " We had presented a strong case in favour of jail

custody, which has been granted. The fact that Kucera and Svacha are

foreigners and might abscond went against them. They had a tourist passport

that did not authorize them to either enter a national park or collect

insects. Nor could they produce any document to prove their identity.

Finally, their argument that they were not aware of the Indian forest laws

went against them. The rules in Czech Republic are similar and there was no

valid reason for them not to be aware of them, " said Utpal Nag, assistant

DFO, Darjeeling.

Last week, the forest department had written to the Czech embassy asking

it to clarify if collecting butterflies without permission was allowed in

that country. " They have clearly said that it is not. A scientist and a

forester should be aware of the basic rules, " added Nag.

 

 

 

 

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