Madhya Pradesh official's mother held after tiger skin found at her residence in Jabalpur

Savitri Devi, Sarvate's mother, was produced in court on Wednesday, July 23, and was sent to jail, he added.

Speaking to ANI, Ranger of Jabalpur Range, Apoorv Sharma said, "On July 22, EOW officials informed us that they conducted raids at the ancestral home of Jagdish Sarvate (Deputy Commissioner in Tribal Welfare Department) in which they recovered a Tiger skin. Following which, our team along with Dr Aniruddha Majumdar, a senior scientist, reached there and Dr Majumdar confirmed in the preliminary investigation that it was the skin of a tiger. After that EOW handed over the skin to us."

Sharma said Savitri Devi was called in on July 23 and asked to produce documents or a certificate of ownership for the skin, but she failed to do so.

"Therefore, she was arrested, presented before the court and she was sent to jail. The tiger skin was in her possession as the house was on her name and she gave a statement that she used to recite prayers while sitting on it and it was in her possession from 1977 without any license or certificate. Based on the fact, she was arrested for illegal possession," he said.

The Ranger further said that action will be taken against Jagdish Sarvate as well because he too must have been aware of this matter.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 into the matter, and the skin has been sent to Jabalpur Veterinary College for forensic examination. Further action will be taken accordingly, he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO, Jabalpur) Rishi Mishra told ANI, "EOW raided the residence of Jadish Sarwate, Deputy Commissioner in Tribal Welfare Department on July 22. During the raid, they found the skin of a tiger. After which, they informed the department and acting on it, a team reached the spot. The team confirmed that the skin was of a tiger, confiscated it and started investigation into the matter." (ANI)