2 poacher supporters get bail

NAGPUR: Two persons who provided shelter to the organized Bahelia tiger poachers were granted bail on Wednesday by judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) RB Raja.

Parman and Soberam Sawalkar from Masondi in East Melghat's Ghatang range were released on bail by the court as they were not directly involved in poaching of tigers. Parman has been charged with using explosives to kill wild animals for meat and also harboured poachers from Katni in MP.

Earlier, blacksmith Jiyalal Bawankar, who used to supply steel traps to poachers, was also granted bail for not being directly involved. Meanwhile, a four-member team from Nagpur went to Melghat to record statements of nine poachers caught from Pune on Sunday.