MP High Court withdraws protection from Wildlife SOS chief in Leopard poaching

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has revoked the interim protection given to Wildlife SOS co-founder and CEO Kartick Satyanarayan in connection with a case involving suspected leopard poaching. The court decided on September 7, following an application by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department (MPFD) requesting the removal of the protection.

The court cited Satyanarayan's failure to fully disclose vital records and circumstances, as well as his non-cooperation with the investigation conducted by the Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force (STSF). The MPFD reported that 15 individuals from Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi had been arrested in the case, with an arrest warrant issued against Satyanarayan on August 31 for failing to attend a summons.

Wildlife SOS had claimed that the seizure of 10 leopard skins followed months of surveillance by their Forest Watch anti-poaching unit. The case originated from the arrest of four alleged poachers on July 23 near the Gwalior-Agra highway. Satyanarayan had previously moved the High Court, challenging summonses and the Preliminary Offence Report, arguing that his Wildlife SOS organization had assisted in the initial seizure and that a second investigation into the same incident was not permissible.