Swapping fakes with real tiger-claw pendants? Officials suspect foulplay by celebrities after Kannada Bigg Boss contestant’s arrest

“In fact, one could say there was a ‘clandestine demand’ for plastic and stone imitations of tiger claws at the local market, so people with real tiger claws could replace the original ones in case law enforcement agencies landed at their doorsteps,” a forest official, who wished to remain anonymous, told South First.

“Usually, people from sound financial backgrounds would go for only real and genuine tiger claws or other wildlife artefacts, to be crafted or embedded in gold or diamond jewellery,” the officer explained.

Given the photographs of prominent personalities flaunting their tiger-claw lockets in public appearances, and the online furore over the issue thereafter, all the people who own such jewellery made their own arrangements to dodge legal proceedings, claimed the officer.

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Celebrities under scanner

Following Santhosh’s arrest for possession of tiger-claw jewellery, the Forest Department received multiple complaints accusing noted personalities of possessing similar artefacts, which are banned under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Photographs of Sandalwood actor Darshan, actor-turned-politician and Rajya Sabha member Jaggesh, and JD(S) leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy, among others, went viral on social media, showing them wearing tiger-claw pendants in public appearances.

Noted Bengaluru-based astrologer Vinay Guruji’s photograph was also circulated on social media, showing him sitting on a tiger pelt.

Forest Department officials said that they served notices to Darshan, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, Jaggesh, and Vinay Guruji over the matter, and also conducted searches at their premises.

Another to the list was Mrinal Hebbalkar, whose photograph went viral on social media on Thursday.

Belagavi’s Deputy Conservator of Forests Shankar Kallolikar said he and his subordinates conducted searches at the minister’s son’s house on Friday and seized the tiger-claw pendent seen in the photograph.

“We have sent the pendant to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and are awaiting their report. Until such time, we cannot conclude whether it is real or fake,” Kallolikar told South First.

However, the minister told reporters that the pendant was not a real tiger claw: She said it was an imitation made of plastic, gifted to him during his sister’s wedding ceremony in 2020.

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Forest officer arrested

Meanwhile, a deputy range forest officer (DRFO) was suspended on Friday by the Karnataka Forest Department for allegedly being in possession of a tiger-claw pendant.

The accused officer, identified as one Darshan Kumar, had been serving as the DRFO of Kalasa in the Chikkamagaluru district.

He was also arrested following his suspension, Forest Department officials confirmed. Meanwhile, the tiger-claw pendant has been sent to the FSL and a report is awaited.

The action was taken following a complaint filed by activists Supreeth and Abdul Khader after a purported photo of the DRFO wearing the tiger-claw pendant was spotted on one of his accounts. He subsequently deleted the image

“A case has been registered against him and it is being investigated. He has been suspended and taken into custody, with the interrogation underway. Whatever comes out in the probe will be submitted to the court,” a senior forest official said.

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Window of opportunity

The Karnataka government is mulling whether to provide those in possession of wildlife articles — such as pelts, teeth, claws, trophies, and bones — a one-time opportunity to surrender them.

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre’s remarks on this came amid the Forest Department’s raids at the residences of a few prominent personalities and some against whom complaints were received in this regard.

The minister said people were unaware of the stringent provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. He added that ever since the issue became a talking point, the Forest Department had been getting a lot of complaints.

“I met the chief minister and briefed him about the case. We will take everyone’s opinion [into consideration] and discuss it with the forest officials. The government’s opinion is that a one-time clemency for illegal possession of wildlife products should be discussed,” the minister said.

Asked whether the clemency option was mulled to bail out high-profile people, Khandre said there was no question of granting relief to any individual.

Khandre explained that the objective behind the offer was that the Wildlife Protection Act was stringent, and that the government had to take people into confidence if it had to be implemented in toto.

“The objective behind is that strict implementation of the law should not create a chaotic situation and terrorise people,” he said.

“We will discuss with the legal experts and seek a report on this. A high-level probe team has already been set up. Our government and our department are committed to providing information to the people in order to have a permanent remedy for this matter.”

The minister also appealed to the people to shun superstitious beliefs, which make them use wildlife products — such as elephant tusks, tiger claws or teeth, and tiger or deer pelts — without knowing that this is a punishable offence.

Khandre said the use of such wildlife products encourages miscreants to poach endangered animals.

According to the minister, the government had provided an opportunity for people to deposit all such wildlife products when it introduced the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972. People were also given a chance to deposit such things in 2003, he added.

Back to Bigg Boss?

Five days into the arrest of Varthur Santhosh from the sets of the reality television show, a Bengaluru court granted him bail on Friday, 27 October.

Santhosh — a cattle-breeder, builder, and also a social-media influencer — walked out of the Central Prisons around 7.30 pm on Friday to a grand welcome accorded by his family, friends, and fans.

Santhosh applied for bail on Monday, having been arrested a day earlier, and the court allowed the prosecution to file objections to the petition till Wednesday. The Forest Department officials filed objections opposing his bail over concerns that he would tamper with the evidence.

Even though he got bail, it is unsure if Santhosh would return to the Kannada version of the television reality show from where he was picked up by the forest officials.

Santhosh’s uncle Ramesh told reporters that his family and friends were relieved that he had obtained bail. However, the family had not yet decided whether to send him back to the television reality show, he said.