Faridabad (Haryana): Haryana Environment Court today continued its hearing against Mansur Ali Khan alias Tiger Pataudi, former captain, Indian cricket team, and his accomplices, accused of hunting the endangered blackbuck in June 2005. The court decided to begin recording pre-charge evidence against the accused on the next hearing scheduled for December 15, 2009.
Despite the crime being conducted four years ago, the proceedings in the trial against Khan were delayed due to a legal technicality.
“The Jhajjar Police, who were handling the case, had filed both chargesheet as well as complaint clubbed together. However, the trial court adopted the proceedings as for a chargesheet case. Challenging the charge, and expecting cancellation of the trial, the defense had brought the technical flaw to the notice of the Sessions Court. However, the Court ordered that the case be contintued and be heard as a complaint case,” explained Saurabh Sharma, lawyer with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), which has been made a part of the Prosecution.
“In the next date of hearing, witnesses will be produced in the court to record pre-charge evidence against the accused,” Sharma added.
Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) is listed as a Schedule I species in the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, according it protection equivalent to that given to the tiger. If convicted, Khan can be awarded imprisonment of up to seven years, along with a fine.
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