A meeting held at the chambers of Attorney General Dr Yubaraj Sangraula and participated by CIAA Secretary Bhagawati Kafle and other officials decided to investigate the cases. [break]
At the meeting, AG Sangraula formally requested CIAA officials to probe the cases, saying smugglers have long been able to get out of detention centers one after another despite the gravity of the crimes involved.
"Smugglers have long been able to free themselves from detention and shake off charges filed in courts," Dr Sangraula said, adding, "In my personal judgment, the quality of forensic lab reports and lack of proper coordination among police and government officials, especially those at the Ministry of Forest, are contributing factors in smugglers getting clean chits and so there is an urgent need to probe the cases seriously."
According to Sangraula, they are handing over seven cases to the CIAA within a few days for necessary investigations. "I became skeptical when the cases involving notorious culprits charged with smuggling rhino horn, musk and tiger bones were given clean chits by one court after another," he added, "It is obvious that there must be some hidden element behind the trend of smugglers getting clean chits and so we requested the national anti-graft body to investigate the cases seriously and find out the facts."
Sangraula added that they have requested the CIAA to find out those who are watering down the chargesheets and assisting smugglers to get out of detention. "The CIAA will probe the cases seriously and we will file review applications based on the CIAA´s findings," he informed Republica.
According to him, the country´s only forensic laboratory is very weak and its reports are always questionable. "I noticed that the forensic laboratory gave us a report saying tiger bones were dog bones," he said, adding, "This can happen rarely but not always. Our forensic lab reports are always supportive of smugglers and non-cooperative toward the government."
Smuggling cases involving Ompukar Bhagat, Rajeshewar Shah, Gautam Kumar Gupta, Sunil Kumar Gupta, Man Bahadur Kunwar and Rabindra Aaudi will be turned over to the CIAA by the AG´s Office.
Makawanpur District Attorney´s Office, acting on an application filed by Assistant Sub-Inspector Hom Bahadur Chauhan, had sent musk to the forensic lab for verification. The forensic report said it was not genuine musk. Based on the lab report, the District Attorney´s Office decided not to file case against Bhagat and Shah on charges of musk smuggling.
However, AG Sangraula on April 26 this year decided to ask the District Attorney´s Office to investigate the case further and furnish the report.
Similarly, the AG´s Office on May 11 also decided to ask Dhanusha District Attorney´s Office to further probe a musk smuggling case involving Gautam Kumar Gupta and Sunil Kumar Gupta.
The AG´s Office also asked Kanchanpur District Attorney´s Office to further investigate a case of rhino horn smuggling involving Man Bahadur Kunwar and Rabindra Aaudi.
Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve had initially slapped 10 years imprisonment against Kunwar and Aaudi. Later, citing the forensic lab report, Mahendranagar Appellate Court acquitted both Kunwar and Aaudi of the charges.
Following the recent agreement, these and four more cases including one involving Dinesh Adhikary (Chari) will be probed by the CIAA.
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