As per senior forest officials, the weapon was licensed in Randhawa's name but the barrel of the German rifle was not owned by him. Officials added that this amounts to a violation under the Arms Act.
The Uttar Pradesh forest department has firmed up evidence against ace golfer and former Asia no.1 Jyoti Randhawa, who was arrested last December from Dudhwa Tiger Reserve for allegedly poaching a jungle fowl. He was granted bail last month by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court.
In its chargesheet filed before the chief judicial magistrate, Bahraich late last month, the UP forest department stated that the post-mortem report of the jungle fowl and ballistic reports of the rifle confirmed that the fowl was killed from the seized weapon.
As per senior forest officials, the weapon was licensed in Randhawa's name but the barrel of the German rifle was not owned by him. Officials added that this amounts to a violation under the Arms Act.
Besides this, the forest department also mentioned the forensic report which confirmed the species of the animal killed as well as a DNA sampling report which confirmed that the skin seized from Randhawa was that of a wild boar.
This test was carried out by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
As per the ballistic report, of Forensic Science Laboratory, Lucknow, lead and nitrate residue were found inside the barrel of the .22 rifle seized from the golfer and the cartridges also matched with the gun. The forensic report of the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, confirmed that the animal killed was indeed a jungle fowl. The bird is protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act. DNA has reviewed a copy of the ballistic report as well as a the forensic report.
"We have made sure that proper scientific evidence is gathered to make our case stronger. The DNA tests and ballistic reports are extremely vital and we are hopeful of a positive outcome for us," said Ramesh Kumar Pandey, field director, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.
Randhawa was arrested with his accomplice Mahesh Virajdar last year during a pre-dawn patrol on December 26 in Motipur range, Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary. The sanctuary is part of the larger Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in UP's Terai region. The UP forest department had seized a dead jungle fowl, .22 rifle, 80 live cartridges, an animal skin, three used bullet shells, searchlights and Rs36,600 cash from his red Isuzu SUV. Randhawa was charged under 11 sections of the Wildlife Protection Act and three sections of the Indian Forest Act.
Arrested In December
Golfer Jyoti Randhawa was arrested with his accomplice Mahesh Virajdar last year during a pre-dawn patrol on December 26 in Motipur range, Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary
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