Tiger claws: Forest Dept. raids houses of Darshan, Jaggesh, and Nikhil

The Forest Department simultaneously raided residences of film actors Darshan Thoogudeepa and Jaggesh, actor-politician Nikhil Kumaraswamy, and film producer ‘Rockline’ Venkatesh here, besides that of Vinay Guruji in Shivamogga on Wednesday.

The Forest Department simultaneously raided residences of film actors Darshan Thoogudeepa and Jaggesh, actor-politician Nikhil Kumaraswamy, and film producer ‘Rockline’ Venkatesh here, besides that of Vinay Guruji in Shivamogga on Wednesday.

The officials were searching for tiger claw pendants these persons were photographed wearing at different points of time, which have gone viral since the department’s action against a reality show contestant, Varthur Santosh, for possession of a similar piece of jewellery.

While reports said some pendants were recovered from the houses of a few who were raided and they have now been submitted to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for confirmation, forest officials were tight-lipped on the recoveries made. Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre is expected to hold a press conference on the issue on Thursday.

Speaking to media persons in Kalaburagi, earlier in the day, he said the law was the same for all and anybody who wore a tiger claw or possesses any wildlife artefact would be encouraging its trade, which was banned.

“The government is committed to strictly enforcing the ban on all wildlife trade,” he said.

Teams of forest officials reached the houses of Mr. Darshan at R.R. Nagar and Jaggesh at Malleswaram in the evening. Both actors were not at home during the raids.

While Mr. Darshan was photographed sporting a tiger claw at a temple, a video of Mr. Jaggesh showing the pendant, explaining that his mother had gifted it to him when he turned 20, has gone viral. Both actors have been issued notices to explain the same, sources said. Meanwhile, teams also reached the houses of Mr. Venkatesh and Mr. Nikhil Kumaraswamy.