Police detains 99 year old for having blackbuck skin

Faridabad: On Tuesday, the Faridabad police had arrested a 99-year-old man for allegedly possessing decades old skin of black buck, an endangered species.

According to the news reported in the Hindustan Times, the old man was identified as Badam Singh from Machgar village. But the police could not arrest the old man due to his deteriorating health condition.

IMT police officials said that “We could not formally arrest him though we had to produce him before the court today.”

The old man told the police that he received the skin of a black buck as a gift from former Indian Test cricket captain Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, father of late cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.

Moreover, the gift was received 50 years back.

IMT police chowki in-charge Rajbir Singh, said that “The search was conducted on Tuesday and the decades old skin of a blackbuck was recovered. During the course of questioning, the man said that the skin was very old and was gifted to him by Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi when he was working at their family home.”

The police said that the recovery was made on the basis of specific information.

Meanwhile, Sharmila Tagore, wife of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was not available for any comments.

According to the Police officials, Badam Singh was a retired veterinary doctor and was working in the haveli of
Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi when the nawab allegedly gifted the skin to him over 50 years ago.

However, the present wildlife act came into being in 1972 and before that poaching of wild animals was allowed.
Under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, a case has been registered against the accused under section 9/39/51.