Illegal wildlife trade linked to pet shop busted in Mangaluru, four arrested
The raid was carried out on July 15 near Ashwath Katte in Kadri in Mangaluru and forest officials arrested Vihal H Shetty, aged 18 years from Badaga Ulepady village in Mangaluru.
Further questioning of Vihal led to the arrest of Petzone shop owner Ibrahim Shakeel Ismail, aged 35, from Munnur village in Ullal and his assistant Mohammad Mustaf, aged 22, from Harekala village in Ullal and also a minor.
Mangaluru Range Forest Officer Rajesh Baligar told The New Indian Express that Indian Rock Python is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 and the accused have links in Tamilnadu for purchase and sale of such wild animals.
One of the accused had advertised the Indian Rock Python as Burmese Ball Python, an exotic species available for sale in Mangaluru on Instagram. The accused were trapped by the forest officials as buyers with the help of an informer and caught one of the accused red-handed with a live rock python.
"The accused were selling it as Burmese Ball Python, one of the exotic species. They used to tell the potential buyers that they need no permission to buy or sell it. We initially met them as customers and nabbed one of the accused Vihal redhanded with a live Indian rock python. The arrested person revealed that he got it from his friend who is a minor studying in a college," RFO Rajesh said.
"Further investigation revealed its link to a pet shop named Petzone shop at Statebank where he was intending to sell it. We went to the shop as potential buyers and the owner contacted the person whom we had caught. So it was all interlinked. We arrested the owner and a worker at his shop," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
18 minutes ago
- India Today
Jaipur man stabbed to death over old rivalry, accused flaunts knife on Instagram
A young man who was stabbed in Rajasthan's Jaipur has died during treatment at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, officials said on to police, the victim, identified as Vipin, was critically injured in the stabbing and rushed to SMS Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries during investigation indicated that an old rivalry may have triggered the stabbing incident. Police have identified three accused — Anas, Shadab and Aman — and have formed special teams to arrest Officials said Anas, accompanied by Shadab and Aman, arrived in the Paldi Meena area on a motorcycle and attacked Vipin before fleeing the scene under the cover of the attack, Anas posted a photo on Instagram flaunting a knife believed to have been used in the he deleted the post after some time. Anas's social media profile goes by the name 'Anas Shooter' and he has reportedly been jailed multiple times in the past for assault-related investigation into the matter is underway.- Ends
News18
20 minutes ago
- News18
'You Don't Get A Pass, You Get Justice': US House Foreign Affairs Panel Hails TRF Terror Tag
Last Updated: The panel also reiterated its criticism of global media coverage of the Pahalgam attack, accusing outlets of downplaying what it called a clear act of terrorism The US Republican Majority on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs has welcomed the designation of Pakistan-based The Resistance Front (TRF) as a global terrorist outfit. The group, which the US designated as a proxy of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) in its announcement, was labelled both a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). 'The Resistance Front is a foreign terrorist organization and deserves the designation," the committee's official X handle posted. 'When you butcher civilians, you don't get a pass—you get JUSTICE." President Trump calls it like it is. The Resistance Front is a foreign terrorist organization and deserves the you butcher civilians, you don't get a pass—you get JUSTICE. — House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority (@HouseForeignGOP) July 19, 2025 The announcement was made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, less than three months after the April 22 massacre in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where TRF claimed responsibility for the killing of 26 civilians. It was one of the deadliest attacks targeting civilians in the region in recent years. The Resistance Front first emerged in Kashmir in 2019, shortly after the abrogation of Article 370. It was widely seen as an attempt by Lashkar-e-Tayyiba to rebrand its operations under a new name to avoid global scrutiny. Since then, TRF has claimed responsibility for several attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, many of which have targeted off-duty security personnel, civilians from outside the region, and minority communities. The FTO and SDGT designations trigger sweeping measures including financial sanctions, asset freezes, visa bans, and criminal penalties for those providing any form of material support to the group. TRF, the State Department noted, serves as a front for LeT, an internationally proscribed terror group, and operates to obscure the latter's direct involvement in attacks. Indian authorities have repeatedly raised concerns over such proxy outfits being used to bypass global sanctions. On July 19, the committee also cited its earlier post from April 23, in which it had criticised international media coverage of the Pahalgam attack — particularly a New York Times headline that read: 'At Least 24 Tourists Gunned Down by Militants in Kashmir." At the time, the committee had responded with a corrected graphic, replacing the word 'militants" with 'terrorists" in bold red, writing: 'Hey, @nytimes, we fixed it for you. This was a terrorist attack plain and simple. Whether it's India or Israel, when it comes to terrorism, the NYT is removed from reality." Reposting that on July 19, the committee reaffirmed: 'It was a terrorist attack — simple and straightforward." It was a terrorist attack—simple and straightforward. — House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority (@HouseForeignGOP) July 19, 2025 The House Foreign Affairs Committee is a permanent committee in the US House of Representatives. It handles bills and investigations related to America's foreign relations. The latest US action is expected to bolster international scrutiny of Pakistan-based terror proxies, particularly at forums like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), where the country's counterterror commitments remain under watch. India welcomed the US decision, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar describing it as a 'strong affirmation" of India-US counter-terror cooperation. 'Appreciate @SecRubio and @StateDept for designating TRF—a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) proxy—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). It claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Zero tolerance for Terrorism. #OpSindoor," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on X. Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 21, 2025, 12:46 IST News world 'You Don't Get A Pass, You Get Justice': US House Foreign Affairs Panel Hails TRF Terror Tag Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
When Bollywood Glitz Meets Fraud: How The Mukherjees Orchestrated A $4 Million Scam In Texas
Sidhartha Mukherjee and Sunita presented what appeared to be ironclad contracts, including forged invoices and signatures—claiming fictitious deals with Dallas Housing Authority In the upscale neighbourhoods of Plano, Texas, Sidhartha 'Sammy" Mukherjee and his wife Sunita stood out as the epitome of glamour in the local Indian-American community. Known for their Bollywood-style performances and high-society charity galas, the couple built a glittering reputation that dazzled hundreds—including those who would soon become their victims and be defrauded of more than $4 million. According to CBS News Texas, the Mukherjees' scheme hinged on their ability to win the trust of their victims. 'They will make you believe that they are very successful businesspeople. But they will take every single penny you have," said Terry Parvaga, a local resident who lost her entire $400,000 retirement nest egg to the Mukherjees' promises of high returns through real estate investments. Their reputation was strengthened by appearances at community events and well-publicised fundraisers. A Times of India report said the couple would captivate audiences with Bollywood performances, creating an aura of credibility and class that made even the most skeptical attendees drop their guard. It was at these very gatherings, surrounded by the trappings of success and social proof, that the Mukherjees would pitch their can't-miss investment opportunities. One of the victims, while speaking to the media, said: 'He was so persuasive, so convincing. And he made you feel like you were part of something big." The Mukherjees' ruse was elaborate. They presented investors with what appeared to be ironclad contracts and official documents, including forged invoices and signatures—even claiming fictitious deals with the Dallas Housing Authority, Hindustan Times reported. A victim group led by Seshu Madabushi said they had 'no reason" to doubt him. 'He looked successful, showed us all the paperwork, gave us regular updates, and even introduced us to other investors." The group collectively contributed over $128,000 to what turned out to be a non-existent real estate project named Roseland Estates. At first, everything seemed above board. Early investors even received supposed 'returns", paid out with money from newer victims—a classic Ponzi move. But as more and more people joined in and the payouts began to lag, suspicions grew. The Mukherjees reportedly continued to smooth over doubts with excuses, glitzy parties, and promises of even bigger projects in the pipeline. However, the façade began to crumble when the case caught the attention of Euless Police Detective Brian Brennan. The Financial Express reported that Brennan described Sammy Mukherjee as 'probably the most prolific fraudster I've seen—tentacles stretching in every direction". Initially, the cases were chalked up to civil disputes. Still, as the gravity of the scam became apparent—with total losses exceeding $4 million and more than 100 victims—local police worked with the FBI to unravel the elaborate scheme, FE added. The Mukherjees were finally arrested in June 2025 and held in an immigration detention facility. They now face serious charges, including first-degree felony theft, with authorities labeling the operation as one of the 'largest and most elaborate" frauds to hit the region in recent years, CBS News Texas said. For Plano's Indian-American community and the many victims who trusted the Mukherjees, the fallout has been painful and sobering. 'I still can't believe it," said one investor. 'We all wanted to believe in their dream. We never saw the nightmare coming." view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 12:13 IST News world When Bollywood Glitz Meets Fraud: How The Mukherjees Orchestrated A $4 Million Scam In Texas Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
