Darjeeling (West Bengal): Strong lobbying by international scientists and pressure tactics from the two Czech nationals, arrested two weeks ago for collecting insects from Singhalila National Park in West Bengal, may skew the bail plea in favour of the accused, fear wildlife conservationists.  

“Letters signed by more than 500 scientists have been sent to the Chief Minister of West Bengal and even the Prime Minister, requesting bail for the accused on the grounds that they collected insects for research purpose,” said Saurabh Sharma, advocate, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).

However, conservationists argue that whether or not for research purposes, collection of wildlife from protected areas without relevant permits from the forest authorities will be considered as a violation of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act.

The two Czech nationals, Petr Svacha and Emil Kucera were arrested from their hotel room in Srikhola in Darjeeling district in a raid led by Utpal Kumar Nag, Assistant Divisional Forest Officer of Wildlife Division I, West Bengal Forest Department.

“We seized hundreds of insects including those listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, like for example, a butterfly Delias sanaca from the accused. There were seven bottles with beetles; we have sent the specimen to Zoological Survey of India for identification,” said Nag adding that beetles fall under Schedule II of the WPA. “Even otherwise, collecting wildlife from national parks is a punishable offence under the Indian constitution. They claim to be eminent scientists, so they should have known the restrictions and that they need permits from National Biodiversity Board for such activities,” he added.

“Had they come with good intentions, they could have contacted us and we would have helped them however possible, but the evidence point towards the opposite,” Nag added. “Emil Kucera has a website offering to sell insects, promising prompt delivery through post,” said Nag stressing that post was one of the methods used in insect smuggling.

Scheduled hearing on July 7, could not take place because of the ongoing strike of lawyers in Darjeeling.

Svacha is reportedly a senior scientist at the Institute of Entomology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (ASCR) and the managing editor of the European Journal of Entomology, while Kucera is a forester.

The first bail plea of the accused was denied. “The accused have been employing pressure tactics and threatening to go on a hunger strike, if not granted bail,” said Sharma. His concern is that the high profile of the accused and the powerful lobbying in their favour, combined with lack of support for the prosecutors, may bear unjust results.

“This is not the first known case of illegal collection of butterflies and other insects in India, including the high altitude varieties of the trans-Himalayan region. In a previous case, a German national claiming to be a scientist was found collecting rare insects in India. Insects are as much a part of nature as any other fauna. They play the role of pollinators and removing them from their habitat could adversely affect natural processes of plant species, which may in turn be threatened too,” said Ashok Kumar, vice chairman, WTI.

Linked Story: Foreigners arrested in Darjeeling for illegal collection of rare insects