Mar 17 2017 : The Times of India (Chennai)

Court orders accused to fill artificial waterholes for bail

Coimbatore: TIMES NEWS NETWORK





A day after an Ariyalur court asked an accused to cut karuvelam trees to grant bail, it was the turn of a Mettupalayam court to impose a novel punishment.While granting conditional bail to an accused on a deer poaching case, the judicial magistrate on Thursday ordered him to work with forest officials in filling artificial waterholes located inside the reserve forest in Mettupalayam forest range. The judicial magistrate also instructed the forest range officer of Mettupalayam range to submit a report in 30 days.

Forest department officials from Sirumugai range got a tip off that a few people were involved in poaching of deer and selling its meat to villagers. While conducting a vehicle check near Annur on February 21, 2017, forest officials intercepted a motorcycle but the rider tried to escape. However, the officials managed to catch him and took him to Sirumugai forest range office for inquiry.

Preliminary investigation revealed that A Selvaraj, 35, of Annur, used to collect deer meat from another poacher Marimuthu of Sirumugai and he sold the meat to few villagers. Selvaraj was booked under sections 39 (a) (b) (d) and 51 (i) of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.Selvaraj was arrested and remanded in judicial custody .He was lodged at the Coimbatore central prison.

Selvaraj approached the Mettupalayam judicial magistrate court for bail. The defense counsel argued that Selvaraj had spent 23 days in prison and requested the court to provide him conditional bail. The judicial magistrate K Sureshkumar granted conditional bail to Selvaraj but with a rider. He ordered Selvaraj to work with forest officials and fill water in artificial waterholes created by the forest department in Mettupalayam forest range for 30 days. The forest range officer has to submit a report to the court on the 30th day and based on the report the conditions will be relaxed.