Monday, June 6 2005 18:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jhajjar (Haryana): Former Indian Cricket captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and six others who have been named in an FIR following the recovery of carcases, supposed to be of endangered animals, from their vehicle could be arrested if necessary, Superintendent of Police, Hanief Qureshi said today (Jun 6, 2005).

Police has arrested one of the eight persons named in the FIR and was questioning him in connection with the seizure made by the Jhajjar Police on Friday night (Jun 3, 2005), Qureshi said.

They have been charged under various sections of the Wild life Protection Act, 1972 and if found guilty they could face imprisonment up to seven years.

Briefing reporters as the national media converged in this sleepy hinterland, Qureshi said police was awaiting the post mortem of the seized carcases and forensic reports to establish whether the killed animals included the endangered black buck and if the weapons recovered from the vehicle were used for hunting.

"If the veterinary surgeon gives a certificate that the killed animal belonged to schedule one (endangered) category, then all the culprits will be arrested," he said.

The senior police official denied charges that police was shielding anyone in the case. "Once the post-mortem report comes, we will talk to the rest of people and if need, we will arrest them."

Asked who was the main accused in the case, Qureshi said for police all the eight named in the case were main accused.