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The Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force (STSF) has launched a formal investigation against Wildlife SOS CEO Kartick Satyanarayan following allegations of organising illegal leopard poaching and staged seizures. The probe originates from a July 23, 2026 operation on the Gwalior-Agra highway, where four individuals were intercepted with 10 leopard pelts. Subsequent interrogation of two key couriers, Bhagwan Singh and Wasim, revealed they were active payroll employees of the non-governmental organisation. Detained suspects allege that Satyanarayan orchestrated poaching incidents to execute pre-planned seizures, thereby projecting an active anti-poaching image to attract global donors and government grants. Investigators recovered digital evidence indicating NGO vehicles were deployed to distribute commercial iron jaw traps within the Shivpuri and Morena forest sectors. Found leopard remains have been dispatched to the Wildlife Institute of India for DNA profiling to verify the timelines.
Confirming the gravity of the ongoing inquiry, Madhya Pradesh Chief Wildlife Warden Sameeta Rajoura issued an official administrative statement clarifying the department's position: "The two key accused, who were allegedly employed by Wildlife SOS, have named Satyanarayan during our sustained interrogations. Following their specific confessions, he has been formally directed to appear before the investigating officer in Shivpuri. The department is actively coordinating with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and will take all necessary, uncompromising steps to protect the state's forests."
Providing the official version from the defence, Wildlife SOS management has strongly denied all allegations, labelling the charges completely baseless, fabricated, and a deliberate attempt by wildlife trafficking cartels to malign the organization’s reputation. Senior representatives stated that their "Forest Watch" intelligence wing operates strictly within legal boundaries to assist enforcement agencies, and the accused individuals were independent local informants rather than structural payroll staff. The organisation confirmed it is fully cooperating with the Madhya Pradesh Wildlife Authority, providing all requested vehicular logs, financial records, and employee directories to the STSF headquarters in Shivpuri to clear its executives of any criminal involvement.
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