Till date, 307 cases investigated by the State Tiger Strike Force (STSF) have been heard by the Hon’ble High Court, and 12 cases by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Over the past few years, the following achievements have been recorded by the units.
As per Notification No. C/2681 dated 05.03.2024 issued by the Hon’ble High Court, Jabalpur, Nodal Courts have been designated at the headquarters of STSF units in Bhopal, Jabalpur, Shivpuri, and Indore for hearing serious and organized wildlife crime cases investigated by these units. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate-level officers have been authorized at these locations accordingly.
A Forest Cyber Cell operates under the STSF, which was granted powers by the Government on 23 April 2016 to obtain Call Detail Records (CDRs) and related documents for the investigation of crimes involving accused individuals.
The State Election Commission provided photo-identity voter cards to 7.25 crore citizens of Madhya Pradesh (as of 2018), aiding significantly in identifying and taking action against criminals and suspects.
In forest crime case number 14198/03, dated 13.07.2015, the main accused and international wildlife smuggler, JE Tamang alias Pasang Limi, a native of Nepal, was arrested by a three-member team of STSF from Delhi after intensive surveillance. Following his arrest, the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) issued a Red Corner Notice against the accused — which was the first such action initiated by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department.
In the same case, international smuggler Tashi Sherpa was also arrested. A Polygraph Test and BEOS (Brain Electrical Oscillation Signature Test) were conducted on him. Based on precise investigation and solid evidence, the Hon’ble Court of Narmadapuram sentenced the accused to five years of rigorous imprisonment and a monetary fine.
For this achievement, a special appreciation letter was received from INTERPOL, and the case was also acknowledged and praised by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Mohan Yadav, and the Hon’ble Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav.
Forest crime case number 14198/03, dated 13.07.2015, related to the poaching of a tiger and a pangolin inside the core area of Satpura Tiger Reserve, and the international smuggling of their body parts. In this case, the Hon’ble Court of Narmadapuram delivered a historic judgment by sentencing a total of 30 accused to five years of rigorous imprisonment each, along with a total fine of ₹7.20 lakh.
The accused included poachers, intermediaries, and syndicate leaders operating from outside the country.
Forest crime case number 25615/01, dated 17.01.2017, in Narsinghgarh Forest Division (Rajgarh), is considered one of the fastest disposal cases in the state. Within approximately seven months, the Hon’ble Court of Narsinghgarh delivered a verdict sentencing the accused to four years of rigorous imprisonment.
In this case, inter-state wildlife smuggler Mohammad Shamim, a resident of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, was arrested.
Forest crime case number 38/44, dated 10.04.2017, from the North Betul Forest Division, related to the poaching of a tiger, led to the arrest of five accused. Within one year, all the accused were sentenced to up to seven years of rigorous imprisonment, and a maximum fine of ₹1 lakh was imposed. This case is possibly the highest fine and sentence recorded in the state for such crimes.
Forest crime case number 28060/02, dated 05.05.2017, concerned the illegal trafficking of a rare species of turtle. In this case, 14 accused were arrested.
During the extended investigation, a Mercedes-Benz vehicle (estimated value ₹50 lakh) used for smuggling the turtles was seized from Chennai, and the vehicle was subsequently forfeited.
Currently, the case is under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), New Delhi.
In the Kanha-Pench Corridor, due to superstitious beliefs involving occult practices and rituals for wealth gain, eight cases of tiger and leopard poaching were registered.
A total of 60 accused, including occult practitioners (“babas”), were arrested, and the poaching syndicate was dismantled. Additionally, awareness campaigns were conducted in the region to counter such superstitions.
In various cases related to the rare and highly endangered species – the pangolin, investigations and operational support by STSF led to the arrest and imprisonment of 191 accused across 15 states of India.
Among these were international female trafficker Luang Godim, a resident of Myanmar, who was arrested from the international border of Mizoram, and Lachungpa Yanchen, who was arrested from the Indo-China border at Lachung (North Sikkim).
The Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force (STSF), in a joint operation with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Government of India, and Dhar Forest Division, seized 15,500 kilograms of rare forest produce – red sandalwood (rakta chandan), and arrested three accused.
The total market value of the seized red sandalwood was approximately ₹8 crore, which was being smuggled to Dubai. The case is currently under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), New Delhi.
In case number CTPDPCJ.16/18, the STSF, Seoni Forest Division, and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) jointly seized six exotic turtles (Sulcata species) and arrested three accused, along with a four-wheeler vehicle.
These turtles have been relocated to the Van Vihar National Park.
A network of organized gangs involved in the smuggling of specified forest produce – Khair was dismantled in Madhya Pradesh through joint action with local forest teams.
A total of 50 cases were registered, and 79 accused were sent to jail. The gang’s operations extended not only within the state but also at the national level outside Madhya Pradesh.
In forest crime case number 32/13, dated 08.06.2013, registered in Nagpur by CBI Maharashtra for tiger poaching, three accused who had been absconding for several years were arrested by the State Tiger Strike Force in 2017 and handed over to the CBI officers as per legal procedures.
Aadin Singh alias Kalla Bawaria, a fugitive wanted by CBI New Delhi and accused of wildlife offenses in Nepal, was arrested along with animal parts.
As of today, the accused remains in judicial custody.
From 2010 till date, STSF Bhopal and its subordinate units have arrested 1,105 accused from 15 different states in a total of 343 cases (including 41 registered, 16 transferred, and 286 assistance-based cases), and sent them to jail.
Under the Live Animal Species (Reporting and Registration) Rules, 2024, the State Tiger Strike Force registered what is possibly the first case in the country, arresting the gang leader Kartik Goyal, a resident of Delhi, and other gang members from Bulandshahr, involved in the illegal trade of exotic animal species.
A large number of foreign-origin animal species were seized in this operation.