The Special Task Force (STF) of the Crime Branch seized a leopard skin during a raid near Gambharimunda village under the Banpur police station of Khordha district on Wednesday.
One Ratnakar Sahoo of the Padmapur area was arrested for possessing the skin illegally.
Acting on a tipoff, a STF team carried out the raid, during which, the leopard skin and incriminating materials were seized from Sahoo's possession. He was arrested after he failed to produce any valid documents in support of the possession of the skin and forwarded to court.
The seized leopard skin would be sent to the Wild Life Institute of India in Deharadun for chemical examination, said the STF.
A detailed investigation by the agency was on to ascertain from where the skin was procured and if a racket was involved in it.
Notably, the STF since 2020 has seized as many as 22 leopard skins, 12 tusks, seven deer skins and 15 kg of pangolin scales and rescued eight live pangolins and arrested 52 wildlife criminals.
