The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition filed by Wildlife SOS co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Kartick Satyanarayan challenging a Madhya Pradesh High Court order that withdrew his interim protection from arrest in an alleged leopard poaching case.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana confirmed that the plea would be listed after Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave, representing Satyanarayan, mentioned the matter for urgent consideration.
High Court Ruling And Department Allegations
The challenge stems from a recent decision by the Gwalior Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which dismissed two petitions under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and recalled Satyanarayan’s interim relief. The High Court instructed him to appear before the Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force on September 21.
The High Court vacated the protective order after the state forest department submitted that Satyanarayan had concealed an arrest warrant and a third summons issued against him. Forest authorities further alleged that he had failed to participate in the probe concerning the poaching of 10 leopards across the Sheopur and Morena districts.
Wildlife SOS Defence And Submissions In Apex Court
Satyanarayan and Wildlife SOS have refuted the state’s characterisation of him as an absconder. The non-governmental organisation maintained that its anti-poaching wing had actively assisted enforcement agencies in busting the network and recovering leopard skins in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The organisation maintained that seeking legal safeguards under the law does not amount to non-cooperation.
Appearing before the apex court, Dave submitted that the organisation helped recover the animal skins in Uttar Pradesh, only to find its head subsequently implicated by Madhya Pradesh authorities. When the bench questioned whether leopards were kept at his residence, Dave clarified that the organisation was solely responsible for leading authorities to the recovery of the pelts in Agra before the case was pursued in Madhya Pradesh.
Dave added that Satyanarayan remains willing to join the investigation and cooperate with the authorities, provided he is granted interim protection from arrest across all related proceedings.
