ED issues notice against wildlife smuggler

The agency has also attached attached a land parcel under the PMLA

The Enforcement Directorate issued a look-out circular has been issued against Supradip Guha, for carrying out an organised wildlife smuggling.

The ED has provisionally attached a parcel of land under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. “He is absconding and therefore, a look-out circular has been issued to prevent him from fleeing abroad,” said an official.

The agency had earlier attached three chimpanzees and four marmosets that were rescued from Mr. Guha’s Kolkata residence. “The value of each chimpanzee has been assessed as ₹25 lakh and marmosets are worth ₹1.50 lakh each. Therefore, the total valuation stands at ₹81 lakh,” said an official.

Mr. Guha, a resident of Baguiati in Kolkata, was involved in large-scale illegal trade of wildlife in West Bengal since long. In February 2014, the Customs authorities had seized three chimpanzees, four marmosets and 278 precious birds of Indian and foreign origin from Mr. Guha’s premises.

Fake certificates

Based on the information provided by the State government's Wild Life Department, the ED initiated money laundering probe against Mr. Guha. “Investigation revealed that the accused had also procured fake certificates for illegally transporting scheduled and protected Indian birds, for which a separate FIR was registered against him by the North Bidhannagar police in West Bengal,” said the agency.

Following the money trail, the ED found that Mr. Guha had deposited illegally earned money in eight bank accounts under his name and that of his family members and companies.

He had made more than ₹3 crore through wildlife smuggling. The value of attached in the case so far is over ₹1.50 crore.