BJP office-bearer arrested in ivory smuggling case in Odisha

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Sambalpur, Apr 17:

Forest department officials in the wee hours today arrested a block-level office-bearer of the BJP in connection with an ivory smuggling case in which two elephant tusks were seized on February 22 from Kansar village under Jujumora police limits in Odisha’s Sambalpur district.

Mastermind and prime accused in the case Prakash Biswal, who is also the president of BJP’s Jujumora block was arrested by a team of Forest department officials led by Sambalpur Sadar Forest Range Officer Tejraj Nayak at around 2 AM today during a surprise raid at Meher Kalyan Mandap, where the former was attending the marriage ceremony of his relative, reports said.

Acting on a tip-off Forest department team arrested Biswal, who was absconding since the incident.

Also read: Five ivory smugglers arrested in Odisha

Earlier, Forest department has arrested seven persons in connection with the case.