Darjeeling (West Bengal): Emil Kucera, one of the two Czech nationals convicted in a case of biopiracy in Darjeeling district, West Bengal, less than two months ago, has jumped bail and fled from India.
Convicted for collecting insects illegally from Singhalila National Park, Kucera was sentenced to three years imprisonment along with a fine, on September 10, following the quickest wildlife trial in India. His accomplice, Petr Svacha, was let off with a fine.
Kucera was reportedly on bail, granted by the sessions court, pending his appeal, according to Saurabh Sharma, Wildlife Trust of India advocate who assisted the prosecution.
“Kucera was given bail on a technical ground that he was a foreigner and had no one to appeal his case locally. If his sentence was more than three years, he would not be eligible for bail,” said Utpal Kumar Nag, Assistant Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife Division I, who headed the operation against the convicts.
“His (Kucera’s) escape has been reported by newspapers, but we still do not have an official word on the issue. They were confined to Darjeeling but were not under our (forest department) jurisdiction. The court will decide further actions if he is not present during the scheduled hearing on November 6,” Nag added.
Kucera and Svacha were arrested on June 22 this year, from Srikhola, for illegally collecting rare insects from Singhalila National Park. Hundreds of live and preserve insects were seized from their possession, and were sent to the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) for identification. During the course of the trial, a scientist from ZSI had testified that a Schedule II Part II beetle species Cucujus bicolor, had been identified from the collection.
The duo was charged with violation of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 as well as Biological Diversity Act, 2002, making this the first instance of conviction and sentencing under the latter Act.
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