New Delhi: An Indian court on Wednesday sentenced one of the two Czech nationals, held for illegally collecting butterflies in West Bengal's Singhalila National Park, to three years in jail, while both were also asked to pay a fine.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate of Darjeeling ordered Emil Kucera and Petr Svacha to deposit a fine of Rs 50,000 and Rs 20,000 respectively. Though Svacha was let off with just a fine, Kucera was also given a prison sentence.
Both were in custody since their arrest June 22 from a hotel in Darjeeling.
The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), an NGO that assisted the prosecution, said in a statement issued here that the accused were sentenced under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
This was the first case in the country of sentencing under the Biological Diversity Act, the NGO said, adding that it was also the quickest trial in a wildlife case, lasting less than three months.
After arresting the duo, the forest department had seized around 500 insects from their hotel rooms in Srikhola near Darjeeling.
The insects have been sent to the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) for identification.
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