In a joint crackdown on wildlife trafficking, the Customs and Forest Departments arrested two individuals involved in the illegal smuggling of Alexandrine Parakeets, a protected species, near Pune Railway Station.
The accused, Sheikh Sarfaraz Sheikh Khadir and Sachin Sujit Rozoria, have been remanded to judicial custody until February 21 for violating the Wildlife Protection Act.
Officials received a tip-off regarding an illegal bird trade operation in the Pune Railway Station area. Acting swiftly, authorities conducted a raid and arrested Sheikh Sarfaraz along with several parakeets.
Further investigation led to the arrest of Sachin Rozoria at Sangvi Phata. A case has been filed against both under provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act.
The accused were presented before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) on February 10 and subsequently lodged at Yerawada Central Prison.
The operation was supervised by Assistant Conservator of Forests Mangesh Tate and led by Forest Range Officer Suresh Vark, with a team of forest guards including Kaluram Kad, Anil Rathod, Madhukar Godge, Aakar Gund, Vinayak Tathe, and Ramesh Shinde.
Authorities emphasized continued vigilance and strict legal action against illegal wildlife trade networks in the region.
