Rourkela: Officials of the Bonai forest division have arrested the mastermind behind a wildlife trophy smuggling racket.

Bonai assistant conservator of forests J.P. Singh on Thursday with the help of police arrested Bagun Gagurai, 37, of Barsuan, nearly 70km from here, for smuggling a leopard skin.

Gagurai, an influential person, had allegedly procured the skin after the animal was trapped and killed by local poachers. The leopard had died five years ago. The skin was procured by Gagurai. "Yesterday, it was being smu-ggled out in a dumper owned by Gagurai, when we seized it and arrested its driver Rolin Alfred Aind," said Singh.

The skin was hidden under a tarpaulin on the top of the truck's cabin. The driver said he had picked up the skin from a woman called Anita Kumbhar. Subsequent investigation revealed the involvement of Gagurai.

"Anita is Gagurai's friend and she informed us about the killing," said Singh. Anita's brother drives Gagurai's truck. The animal was killed at the Sarkunda jungle, arou-nd 85km from here on the Jharkhand border. Later, it was kept at Anita's house in Tensera village. Gagurai had directed his manager and another staff member to collect the skin. "We have his manager Sursen Soye and friend Nathenian Topno as witnesses in the case," said Singh.

Gagurai has been booked under several sections of Wild Life Protection Act.

"The leopard is a schedule- 1 animal. Besides, he was transporting the trophy for which he has been booked under several acts," said Singh.

The most important are 39 (B), which forbids trade or commerce of wild animal trophies from unrecognised sources, 48(A), illegal transportation without permission and 49(B), the purchase of skin and trophy not from recognised source.