Social media was flooded with photos of Darshan, Jaggesh, Vinay Guruji, Nikhil Kumaraswamy flaunting tiger claw pendants and tiger pelt.
Kannada actors and politicians' photos with wildlife articles went viral on social media.
With the arrest of the Kannada Bigg Boss contestant Varthur Santhosh for possession of a tiger claw pendant that he was wearing on the reality television show, the Forest Department has received complaints from several organisations — accusing other well-known personalities of possessing similar articles, which are banned under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Prominent among them are Sandalwood actor Darshan, actor-turned-politician and Karnataka Rajya Sabha MP Jaggesh, JD(S) leader and son of former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, and Vinay Guruji, a renowned astrologer in Bengaluru.
Sandalwood star Darshan in news for flaunting Tiger claw pendant
These celebrities are accused of possessing tiger claw pendants and tiger pelt, which they have allegedly flaunted in photographs and videos during their public appearances.
Forest Department officials have said that they have served notices to Darshan and Vinay Guruji over the matter.
Following Santhosh’s arrest on Sunday 22, October, social media was flooded with photographs of actor Darshan, Jaggesh, and Nikhil Kumaraswamy purportedly wearing such pendants.
A photograph of Vinay Guruji is also doing rounds on social media showing him seated on a tiger pelt. This prompted several organisations to officially write to the Forest Department seeking action against those people.
While Darshan and Jaggesh have not reacted on the issue so far, Nikhil Kumaraswamy has posted on social media that the tiger claw pendant in the photograph is not real and was gifted to him during his wedding.
Nikhil Kumaraswamy
Sources in the Forest Department told South First that the officials are collecting information from social media handles about the allegations against these celebrities. They are also said to be verifying the photographs and videos on social media.
The sources said that the officials are trying to ascertain the time period to which these photographs and videos belong and also find out if the celebrities are still in possession of these banned articles.
A few organisations such as Vande Mataram Samaja Seva Sansthe, Janata Dala, and Union of Unions in Bengaluru have filed complaints against the these personalities with the Forest Department.
They have also submitted photographs and videos, which they claim show these celebrities flaunting the banned wildlife articles.
On Wednesday, 25 October, Forest Department officials said that they served notices to Darshan at his residence in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, and to Vinay Guruji at his ashram in Bengaluru, regarding the viral photographs of them allegedly seen wearing banned wildlife articles.
A viral video shows BJP MP Jaggesh flaunting a tiger claw pendant stating that his mother had gifted it to him on his 20th birthday wishing that he be blessed with the qualities of a tiger.
ನಮ್ ಅಣ್ಣ ಜಗ್ಗೇಶ್ ಅಣ್ಣನ್ನು ಜೈಲಿಗೆ ಹಾಕ್ತಿರ 😄.
ಎಲ್ಲೊ ಅವ್ನು ಶವ ಕುಮಾರ ಕನ್ನಡ ಶಾಲ್ ಹಾಕೊಂಡಿರೋ ಪೆಕ್ರ ಶೇರ್ ಮಾಡ್ರೋ ಆ ಗುಬಾಲ್ ಗೆ 😂😂#BigBoss #VarthurSanthosh #Tiger pic.twitter.com/VSdNOXcDVK— ಯಲಾ ಕುನ್ನಿ (@MeraNamVajrMuni) October 24, 2023
Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Urban N Ravindra Kumar told South First: “Based on the complaints we have received from a few organisations, we will send notices to the above-mentioned persons to present themselves, along with the wildlife articles they are said to be in possession of, before the authority for an inquiry.”
“The Forest Department officials will examine the wildlife articles in question and ascertain if they are real or fake and further legal action would ensue,” he added.
On 22 October, Forest Department had officials registered a suo motu case against the Bigg Boss contestant Varthur Santhosh and arrested him from the sets of the television reality show on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
Arrested Bigg Boss contestant Varthur Santhosh
According to Forest Department sources, a team of officials led by Ravindra Kumar had gone to the sets of the Kannada Bigg Boss and informed the show organisers about the contestant’s offence. The officials then asked the team of organisers to bring Santhosh to them for questioning.
When Santhosh arrived, the forest officials checked his pendant and prima facie found that it was a genuine tiger claw. When he was asked from where he had procured it, Santhosh is said to have told the forest officials that it was from his family’s ancestral jewellery collection.
Later, they informed the reality show organisers that they were taking Santhosh along with them as he has been placed under arrest for further interrogation.
The Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 clearly states that wearing or possession of a tiger claw or pelt is in violation of the law and is a punishable offence.
The forest officials are said to have interrogated Varthur Santhosh throughout Monday and sought information regarding the tiger claw pendant.
According to sources, Santhosh admitted to the forest officials that he had purchased the pendant for ₹20,000 from Hosur in Tamil Nadu, three years ago, with the help of one of his close associates named Ranjit.
The forest officials have issued notices to Ranjit and also the jeweller, who had allegedly custom-made the chain with the tiger claw pendant.
The officials then produced Santhosh before a magistrate who remanded him to judical custody for 14 days until 6 November, a forest official told South First.
The officials have seized Santhosh’s tiger claw pendant and have sent it to the Forensic Science Laboratory to get its authenticity documented for further legal procedures.
Meanwhile, Santhosh’s legal counsel has applied for bail, it is learnt.
Santhosh is into the business of cow breeding and cattle trading. He rears the Hallikar breed of cows and is also into real estate. He had become an influencer on social media after a few of his videos had gone viral which got him a ticket to participate in the Bigg Boss Kannada Season 10.
Rajya Sabha MP Jaggesh
Following Santhosh’s arrest, netizens flooded social media with photographs of Darshan, Jaggesh, Nikhil Kumaraswamy allegedly flaunting banned wildlife related articles.
The netizens dared the forest officials to arrest these prominent personalities, who have allegedly violated the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Meanwhile, Forest Department sources told South First that in Vinay Guruji’s case, as per records, an individual from Shivamogga had gifted the tiger pelt to his ashram.
In August 2019, the individual had written to the Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF) Shivamogga expressing his intent to gift the tiger pelt and had also obtained the necessary permit from the department.
However, Vinay Guruji had returned the pelt to the individual who, in turn, again wrote to the Forest Department stating that he was unable to retain the tiger pelt and was surrendering it to the Shivamogga Forest Department in May 2023.
Soon after these photographs and videos went viral on social media, a few organisations came forward and filed complaints against the celebrities with the Forest Department in Urban Bengaluru.
The president of an organisation called Union of all Unions in Bengaluru filed a complaint against astrologer Vinay Guruji and Darshan.
Other organisations such as Vande Mataram Samaja Seva Sansthe, and one Janata Dala have filed complaints against Jaggesh and Nikhil Kumaraswamy.
While actor Darshan and Jaggesh have not reacted so far, Nikhil Kumaraswamy posted on social media: “It has been reported in some media that Nikhil Kumaraswamy wore a tiger claw pendant during his marriage. This is far from truth. I am certainly aware of the seriousness of the Wildlife Protection Act.”
“The tiger claw pendant I was wearing was fake, not real. My boys gave it to me during my marriage. I still have it. Concerned authorities can verify. Please request no one to spread news which is far from truth.”
ತಮ್ಮ ಮದುವೆ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಖಿಲ್ ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ ಅವರು ಹುಲಿ ಉಗುರಿನ ಪೆಂಡೆಂಟ್ ಧರಿಸಿದ್ದರು ಎಂದು ಕೆಲ ಮಾಧ್ಯಮಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ವರದಿ ಮಾಡಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಇದು ಸತ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ದೂರ. ವನ್ಯಜೀವಿ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣಾ ಕಾಯ್ದೆ, ಅದರ ಗಂಭೀರತೆ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನನಗೆ ಖಂಡಿತಾ ಅರಿವಿದೆ.
1/2— Nikhil Kumar (@Nikhil_Kumar_k) October 25, 2023
Karnataka Environment and Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said the law of the land is applicable to all without any discrimination and the government will act as per the law.
The minister also said that possession of wildlife pelts, ivory, horns or bone trophies is an offence under the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
“We have received some complaints, and the Forest Department will investigate into them and take action. There is no question of going soft on anyone. All the complaints will be investigated, and action will be taken,” Khandre told reporters.
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