Manu Bezbaruah being taken to the court in Guwahati on Monday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, May 19: The Assam forest department today arrested “hunter” Manu Bezbaruah on charges of killing a barking deer at Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary last month.

Bezbaruah was produced in the court of the Kamrup chief judicial magistrate, Robin Phukan, this afternoon and was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.

The forest department has registered a case against Bezbaruah under Sections 34, 39, 50 and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act.

The department was on Bezbaruah’s trail after Shivaji Baruah named him as his partner in crime. Baruah, a senior official of the animal husbandry and veterinary department, was arrested on April 15 after he was caught trying to stuff venison into a sack near the sanctuary.

“After Baruah named his accomplice, we raided Bezbaruah’s residence at Dispur on April 17. Though he was not there, a wildlife booty and arms were recovered,” the forest officer said.

A mithun hide, crocodile skin, two horns of mithun and deer, three teeth of wild pigs, metal-tipped arrows and fresh deer meat were recovered from Bezbaruah’s residence.

A double-barrelled gun with 75 rounds of ammunition, two rifles with 29 rounds, one bow with nine arrows, two magazines, two pistol covers and 132 rounds of ammunition were seized during the raid. The forest official said Bezbaruah had escaped to Arunachal Pradesh soon after Baruah’s arrest. “He returned to the city on April 30 and obtained anticipatory bail from Gauhati High Court for a week. After a week, the court extended his bail period by another four days. The court, however, directed him to appear before the forest department,” the source said. “During his bail period we recorded his statements and on basis of that he was finally arrested today.”

When Bezbaruah was brought to the court today, he told the reporters that he was innocent and all charges against him were fabricated.

The accused said that somebody has hatched a conspiracy against him.

He, however, could not name the “conspirator”.

The forest department suspects that he may have links with a wildlife smuggling racket.

“However, the arms seized from his residence seems to be legal as he has produced some licenses, which are being verified by us,” the source added.