(IN) Smuggling connection of Czech entomologists in India?

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Indian press: Czech entomologists may belong to smugglers' gang

By ÈTK / Published 11 July 2008

 

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New Delhi, July 10 (CTK) - The Indian authorities are afraid that the two

Czechs who were recently caught collecting insects in northeast India at

variance with law, may be part of an international network of traffickers in

rare animals, The Times of India daily writes Thursday.

 

The two Czechs, Emil Kucera and Petr Svacha, both from the Entomological

Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, were arrested in the Indian

state Bangla on June 22 for collecting insect larvae.

 

The Times of India says the Czechs will remain in custody at least until

July 21 when a court is to deal with their case.

 

Under Indian law, they face two to seven years in prison.

 

Kucera and Svacha assert that they collected insects for scientific purposes

and to enrich their private collections.

 

The Indian authorities, however, say that Svacha, 51, runs a website

offering rare beetles for sale, the paper writes.

 

Utpal Nag, from the company managing the forest concerned, said the Czechs

are suspected of planning to smuggle the collected butterflies and insects

either to China, or to take them to the Czech Republic and afterwards to

another European country.

 

The two men had instruments that are necessary for collecting insects and

butterflies. They must have known that catching animals is banned in the

forest, Nag is quoted as saying.

 

Both the Czechs know well the rules whose observance is required in India's

forests. They have worked out a thorough study on biodiversity in India.

This can only be the tip of the iceberg, Nag told the daily, alluding to

suspicions that Svacha and Kucera may be part of an international smugglers'

gang.

 

Svacha and Kucera have repeatedly dismissed the accusation. They have been

supported by the international community of scientists.

 

As many as 600 people, mostly scientists, have already signed a petition for

the release of the Czechs, addressed to the Indian prime minister.

 

The Czech consul in Calcutta has helped the detained Czechs.

 

Czech Ambassador to India Hynek Kmonicek has also asked the Indian Ministry

of External Affairs for help.

 

At present the situation is complicated by the ongoing strike of Indian

judicial workers. As a result, the court proceedings scheduled for July 7,

where the Czechs wanted to seek release on bail, did not take place.

 

Indian entomologists recently expressed fears for the fate of the two

detained Czechs. They said it often takes Indian courts two years to solve

similar cases.

This story is from the Czech News Agency (ÈTK).