The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will launch a probe against popular YouTuber Monalisa Bhadra of Odisha under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

Monalisa and her husband Badri Narayan Bhadra of Jajpur district were arrested by the Forest Department in March this year for hunting scheduled wild animals in violation of Sections 9 and 39 of Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

The Bhadra couple was accused of displaying scheduled wild animals in their social media accounts for pecuniary gains.

The YouTube account of the Bhadra couple (@Badrinarayan Bhadra) was blocked by the authorities concerned on the basis of the complaint lodged by the Forest Department.

The department had written to the Director of ED to invoke Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 against Monalisa and her husband.

“The accused persons had millions of subscribers for their YouTube and other social media platforms. It is suspected that they might have received hefty amounts as revenue from YouTube and social media platforms. It is requested to take necessary action as per provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002,” said the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden of Odisha, Susanta Nanda, in his letter to the ED Director.

He had also urged the ED to initiate a probe under the Money Laundering Act against snake rescuer and YouTuber Mirza Mohammad Arif of Bhadrak district in Odisha. The Forest Department had arrested Arif for hunting scheduled wild animals in March this year.