Atram killed 2 rabbits, 2 chinkaras
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08/09/2008
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Asian Age (New Delhi)
Pune,
Contrary to the perception that it was just one chinkara deer that fell to the bullets of former Maharashtra minister Dharmarao Baba Atram, the prosecution has chargesheeted him for killing two chinkaras and two rabbits in the forest bordering Bhor-Baramati where he had gone for hunting on June 14.
While opposing the fresh bail plea from Mr Atram filed before a sessions court here on Saturday, public prosecutor Ramesh Ghorpade claimed that it was a pre-planned hunting expedition undertaken by the main accused who entered the forest at night travelling in his ministerial car with red beacon lamp, tailed by two escort vehicles.
Citing the statements of Shyam Jadhav, the driver of the escort car that followed Mr Atram closely, and Avinash Natekar, his security guard, the counsel told the court that it was the shooting of a rabbit that set the tone for the hunting spree at night. Search lights were used by the eightmember party to facilitate sighting of the prey as Atram hunted one more rabbit before he started looking for Chinkara, the prosecutor said appearing on behalf of the state forest department, which has filed the case under Protection of Wildlife and Forest Act.
As they saw a chinkara moving in the forest, Mr Atram targeted the animal belonging to endangered species, the court was told.
The prosecution counsel said, according to Mr Jadhav and Mr Natekar verbatim, the car in which Mr Atram was travelling stopped again after they saw another Chinkara. Shots were fired at the deer, however, it got up and tried to escape.
This time, gun-wielding Mr Atram came out of the car and shot the chinkara twice killing it, the counsel told the additional sessions judge Sanjay Patil.
The preyed animals were packed in plastic bags and kept in cars, that later drove to the hill station of Mahabaleshwar where Mr Atram has a farm house.
The counsel argued that Mr Atram was a habitual offender who should be denied bail in view of serious nature of his crime under the Wildlife Act.
Meanwhile, defence counsel Dhairyasheel Patil, who pressed for Mr Atram