The crime branch of Delhi Police have apprehended four people for possessing and dealing with horns of rare white rhinoceros usually found in African countries, valued at Rs three crore in the international market. As per the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, greater one-horned rhino is listed under Schedule I which prohibits the capturing, killing, poisoning, or trapping of wild animals. Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjay Kumar Sain, said, the police received a tip off about some persons dealing in illegal trade of rhinoceros horns and to unearth the whole nexus, a policeman was send as a decoy customer. The police have registered an FIR under relevant sections of BNS at the Crime branch police station.
The arrested individuals are Deepak Sharma (57), a resident of Lajpat Nagar; Suresh Kumar (57), Sant Ram (57), and Anil Kumar Sethi (60), all residents of Uttam Nagar, police said.
The four of them were found to be involved in the illegal trade of horns from a white rhinoceros, police added.White rhinoceros is a species native to African countries and is considered highly endangered.
On January 9, the decoy customer finalized the deal for Rs one crore and the team raided a flat in Lajpat Nagar where four persons were found with two horns of rhinoceros. All were asked whether they have any documents pertaining to legal possession of the horns but they could not provide any such documents, Sain said.
“As part of the operation, constable Naveen was deployed as a decoy customer. After negotiations, the deal for the sale of the horns was finalised for Rs 1 crore, with the perpetrators planning to deliver the horns to the buyer. The team raided a flat in Lajpat Nagar, where they apprehended the four accused and recovered the two horns,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Sanjay Kumar Sain.
The officer further stated that upon questioning, the accused failed to provide any documentation to prove the legal possession of the horns.
Wildlife experts who examined the horns confirmed they were from a white rhinoceros. The horns, which have significant value in the international market due to their rarity and demand, police said.
During the investigation, it transpired that a suspect Deepak Sharma had two horns from the last 90 years from the time of his grandfather and had preserved them as being rare and antique article belonging to African white Rhinoceros.
Since Covid-19 pandemic, he has been trapped in a business loss and owns Rs 35-40 lakh of debt. He knew that the horns are rare and having a price more than Rs 3 crores and hence, due to his poor financial conditions, he decided to sell these antique horns to earn handsome money.
Knowing the high value of the horns, Sharma reached out to Suresh Kumar, a Mahant in Uttam Nagar, seeking to sell the horns for Rs 1 crore, police said.
Kumar, in turn, contacted Sant Ram, a government employee, who connected with Anil Kumar Sethi, a private worker, to finalize the deal, they added.
“The group was motivated by financial distress, with each individual facing debt or financial obligations. Suresh Kumar needed money for construction work at an ashram, while Sant Ram and Anil Kumar were also in debt and saw the sale of the horns as a way to earn quick money,” Sain said.
Police said a case under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act has been registered, including charges related to the illegal possession and sale of wildlife products.The investigation is ongoing and further action will be taken to identify and apprehend any other individuals involved in this international wildlife trafficking network, Sain said.
