From star tortoises to Egyptian vultures, CBI-DRI bust wildlife trafficking racket; six held

New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) From star tortoises and slow lorises to Egyptian vultures and Shikra birds, 53 protected animals and birds were rescued after the CBI and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) busted an inter-state wildlife trafficking racket in a joint operation, officials said on Thursday. Six accused were arrested in Mumbai and Kolkata, they said. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a statement said the operation, carried out with support from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), led to the rescue of 15 slow lorises, two binturong, 28 star tortoises, six Egyptian vultures and two shikra birds, all protected under Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The arrested accused have been identified as Noman Khan, Mohd Faruq and Insha Shakil from Mumbai, and Saikat Biswas, Mithun Mondal alias Himanshu Mandal and Arjun Mondal from Kolkata, officials said. Among the rescued wildlife, the slow loris is classified as endangered/critically endangered, the Egyptian vulture as endangered, while the binturong and the star tortoise are listed as vulnerable. Shikra is categorised as 'least concern', though all the rescued species are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which provides them the highest level of legal protection in India. The action was carried out at multiple locations in Maharashtra and West Bengal based on specific intelligence developed by the DRI, Mumbai, about the inter-state syndicate. "The CBI registered two separate cases on July 7 and July 8, 2026, and three accused persons have been arrested in Mumbai, and three others arrested in Kolkata," the agency said. The cases have been registered under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and provisions relating to criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. "The animals and birds were sourced by the accused from various parts of India for trading," the statement said. After the initial proceedings, the rescued animals and birds were handed over to the forest departments of Maharashtra and West Bengal for safe custody. PTI MHS MNK MNK